Carbondale’s River Valley Ranch Golf Club is headed into the rough
Glenwood Springs Post Independent
The River Valley Ranch Golf Club in Carbondale may have to close at the end of the current golf season unless a resolution comes forward in the meantime, according to reports from a recent meeting of the RVR Homeowners Association
HOA President Scott Darling confirmed the issue was brought forward to homeowners by golf course owner Dale Rands, and said the gist is that the golf course may have to shut down if something can’t be worked out with homeowners or some other entity.
Darling added that the course closing isn’t necessarily imminent, and the parties involved continue to look for solutions. But the golf course operation is in financial distress, he said.
“We brought our community together to discuss what’s been presented and communicated the options,” Darling explained. “We will continue to explore next steps to assess what our options are moving forward.”
He said he has discussed potential alternatives with Rands to keep the golf course operational, though Darling wouldn’t elaborate on what those options might be.
The Post Independent attempted to discuss the potential closure with Rands through his Basalt-based attorney, David Myler, but was unable to reach him for this article.
The River Valley Ranch Golf Club was developed in 1997 as part of the larger River Valley Ranch planned-unit development. In 2012, on the heels of the Great Recession, an investment group headed by Rands bought the club from Crown Golf Properties. The Crown family also owns Aspen Skiing Co.
According to Darling, the RVR golf course has had financial difficulties for years, dating to before Rands’ purchase of the property.
The River Valley Ranch HOA is made up of 565 homeowners. The golf course, restaurant and golf clubhouse all run completely separate from the HOA.
“It’s important for us as a board to make sure our community understood what we are facing,” Darling said of the recent meeting. “Now we will look at what makes sense. Long-term, we are hoping things work out.”
He said the HOA board has decided to form a subcommittee to help with due diligence as the issue is considered, according to the RVR Master Association website. The board plans to announce members of the subcommittee by July 25.
It’s also possible the town of Carbondale, which approved the PUD zoning for the development in the mid-1990s, could be approached about potential future zoning changes.