After a series of cost-cutting moves, a new membership drive and a commitment from shareholders, the Columbus Country Club is back on firm financial ground, board member Don West said Thursday.
“We”ve got some very good, exciting news,” he said. “We had a stockholders” meeting Tuesday night and the stockholders came together and committed to funding for the country club, which is going to put us back into a very good financial situation.”
The club is owned by 84 shareholders, who also pay membership dues, but five local banks were owed and club officials were having trouble paying off the club”s $2 million debt.
“We are going to be able to meet all debt obligations and we”re getting ready to start a membership drive,” West said. “We are ready to start booking major events, whether it be a wedding reception or class reunions or anything of that nature.
“We”ve gone in and done some very good cost analysis budget cutting to be able to take on our current monthly obligations,” he said. “And we are now in a position to start offering some very attractive membership drives.”
Pool memberships, for the summer months only, social memberships and full memberships will be offered at reduced prices.
Additionally, the golf course is available to the public, for a cost of $35 for 18 holes of golf and use of a golf cart.
“We want the public to be fully aware that, even though we”re a private country club, the public can still contact us and use it for any events they need,” West said. “We made this decision, because we realized how important the country club is as a vital part of our community and as part of the continued growth of our community.
“We offer a full service club facility for any companies coming this way,” he added. “And we hope people now will be in a position to rejoin or join as a new member and see the benefits we offer. We offer benefits for all ages and for all income groups.”
In March, Club President Kirk Hardy said that the club had lost 125-150 members over the last 12 to 18 months, leaving it with 240 members and putting “a severe strain on the operations of the club.” An effort to sell parcels of the 150 acres of land owned by the club yielded no acceptable bids, Hardy said.
For more information, contact the club”s general office at 662-328-4837.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 29 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 29 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
