It costs a pretty penny to sign up golf superstar Tiger Woods to design a course and attach his name to a development. But owners of The Cliffs at High Carolina, a massive development underway in Fairview, were willing to make the investment. Woods is designing his first course in the United States there, and an article in the February issue of Condé Nast Portfolio, "The Long Shot," poses some hard questions about the timing of this and Woods’ other business ventures.
“What Woods is now undertaking is on a scale unlike anything that he or any other athlete has attempted before,” Paul Sullivan writes in the article. “Uncharacteristically, his timing is terrible. He is entering the real estate business just as the economy seems moribund — and if anything, the golf business is in a worse state.”
Nonetheless, Woods remains optimistic about The Cliffs and other developments he’s involved with, and the marketing power of the golfer’s name remains formidable. According to the article, “Jim Anthony, founder of the privately held Cliffs Communities, says that he would not have even included a golf course at the Asheville development if Woods hadn’t agreed to design it.”
— Jon Elliston, managing editor
“What Woods is now undertaking is on a scale unlike anything that he or any other athlete has attempted before,” Paul Sullivan writes in the article. “Uncharacteristically, his timing is terrible. He is entering the real estate business just as the economy seems moribund — and if anything, the golf business is in a worse state.”
Nonetheless, Woods remains optimistic about The Cliffs and other developments he’s involved with, and the marketing power of the golfer’s name remains formidable. According to the article, “Jim Anthony, founder of the privately held Cliffs Communities, says that he would not have even included a golf course at the Asheville development if Woods hadn’t agreed to design it.”
— Jon Elliston, managing editor
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One thing is for sure, they are wasting no time worrying about the potential for their demise.... they are constantly working on the road(s), etc up there.
I don't believe they have even offered anything for sale yet.
The smallest "lot" there is supposedly going to run around 750,000 (for about 1 acre), the 3 acre "lots" are more than a mil!
By LOKEL
01/07/2009
I would love if it crashed, but since it is one of the few big projects (or even small) out there still moving forward, my guess is they know something we dont about who they are going to be marketing to.
My guess is the Chinese and Europeans.
By Piffy!
01/07/2009
They destroyed the mountainside where that road is going along I-40. I had hoped for better of them. My mistake.
By Reality Check
01/08/2009
"I had hoped for better of them."
What would have made you think a developer would not destroy the land? wishful thinking? Certainly not precedent.
By Piffy!
01/08/2009
Some Developers are better than others when considering environmental factors. Unfortunately, they are in the minority.
By Reality Check
01/08/2009
Well, since these mountains are the oldest on the planet, it's way past time to destroy them so that the wealthy can perch themselves up high and enjoy themselves on what used to be critical habitat for animals and plants. No sacrifice is too great to ensure the comfort of the rich and to maximize poor Tiger Woods paltry banking account.
By Dionysis
01/09/2009
These lots are large enough for middle eastern horsemen who already own a lot of American turf.
By ashkat
01/09/2009
"Well, since these mountains are the oldest on the planet, it’s way past time to destroy them so that the wealthy can perch themselves up high and enjoy themselves on what used to be critical habitat for animals and plants. No sacrifice is too great to ensure the comfort of the rich and to maximize poor Tiger Woods paltry banking account."
Well put. And I hope this development never gets off the ground.
By Cowboy Bob
01/15/2009
So many other golfers have designed courses (Phil, Sergio Garcia, Annika Sorenstam, Ernie Els) and I am sure that Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer had to have built a FIRST, so am unsure as to why Tiger, who has played and WON on numerous golf courses around the world, should be getting so much flack because he has been courted to design courses. I certainly do not think that Tiger sought this out, he was sought. Now he has also been contracted to build a course in Punta Brava in Mexico. Let's face it, Tiger is already a legend and this is the main reason that his services are being sought. Another great reason is because they know that Tiger will want to do the best job possible because he will have to live with the results. Tiger is not one for half measures and that is ALWAYS a good thing.
By Marjorie Taylor
04/20/2009