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Project Now Includes New Clubhouse
With plans for expansion at the Lexington Golf & Country Club in the works, Washington and Lee University provided an update last week on the schedule and status of those plans, extending the time frame of the renovation to include new features.
The plans followed a partnership agreed to between the country club and W&L in May, which will expand the club’s course to allow W&L competitions to be held there.
In a letter sent out on Monday of last week by Steve McAllister, W&L treasurer and vice president for finance, McAllister outlined plans for the project. He said the project is expected to begin no later than January 2026, with the course reopening no later than May 2027. The letter also stated that W&L has established “a working goal of $25 million for the total project, which goes well beyond the golf course renovation and will include a new clubhouse, vastly improved facilities, relocation of the cart barn, and enhanced outdoor activity and event areas.”
The initial timeline anticipated by the country club and W&L called for the work to begin in January 2025, but the extra features contributed to the schedule change in the start of the renovation.
McAllister said in a phone interview on Tuesday that the $25 million represents what W&L is using as a working budget while finding out specifics of where the funds go. “Part of what we’re doing over the coming months is we’re evaluating and making sure we understand the numbers better,” said McAllister.
“There’s been a lot of work done since the agreement to really pursue a joint venture,” added McAllister.
McAllister noted in his letter that the group of W&L and country club representatives working on the course has engaged with the golf course architect, Lester George, Perkins & Orrison [land planning and land surveying], and Watershed Consulting “to address the engineering and permitting required with the ponds and water management, and we have worked directly with Aspen Golf to serve as the contractor for course renovation.”
The group has also been “examining the financial pro formas of the new entity, establishing goals and rates for new memberships, and negotiating an operating agreement, as well as assessing the existing facilities to determine their suitability going forward,” continued McAllister.
With McAllister’s letter, Neal Lineberry, president of the country club’s board, sent out a letter to country club members to explain the reason for the extra time needed for the renovations. Lineberry said the extra time will allow W&L and the country club “the necessary time to develop a comprehensive master plan that not only includes the renovation of the course but also incorporates several exciting new features.”
Lineberry stated in his letter that the golf course superintendent, Peter Danaher, “had been prepping the course for renovation. He will bring the course back to the good condition we experienced earlier this year, and we should notice improvement within several weeks.
“We understand that many of you were looking forward to the completion of the course renovation, and we appreciate your patience as we work to create a plan that reflects the high standards we all expect,” added Lineberry. “Rest assured, our goal is to create an exceptional environment for all members to enjoy, both on and off the course.”
