lajitas golf resort ownermost awkward queer eye moments
Review. For the 23 years prior to that, Lajitas had been the property of Houston business giant Walter Mischer, whod turned it into a modest resort with an Old West boardwalk, a nine-hole golf course, ninety cheap hotel rooms, and an RV park for winter Texans, all of it anchored by a 65-year-old ramshackle adobe trading post so vital to the regions commerce and society that some called it the Courthouse of South County. After dinner some of our group went back to the resort, but my tour guide on the trip, the Lajitas general manager whod been assigned to babysit me, wanted a nightcap. Pamplin and his partners invested $25 million to expand the resort adding a new hotel and increasing the number of golf holes from 9 to 18. Your County. And the people. According to my minder, it was a place where we could get away from the snobs at the Starlight. party. UT Dallas is paying students to get vaccinated. 1 (877) 525-4827. [14], Warren has hosted the Cherokee Music Festival since it began in 2007. Theres a simple story of manners that gets retold on the porch when Lajitas is discussed. Youre not prepared for what you get.. [12], Frank Q. Dobbs directed his first film, Enter the Devil, in Lajitas in 1972. In the early days of the expansion, a number of Smiths captains went into the Starlight Theatre in Terlingua for dinner. In an area known for long drives to reach your destination, waking up just outside the park is a big benefit. Dec. 22, 2007 - LAJITAS, Texas -- Not even $100 million, She and her husband have since purchased the place. When. Then, this summer the Lajitas resort declared bankruptcy, announcing some $15 million in debts and $500,000 a month in operating losses, and went on the auction block. That effort ran out of steam and money in 2007, and a group of investors bought the property, cut the prices in half, and have created a luxurious and affordable environment for visitors to Texas Big Bend. The vision on the porch was of rooms priced at $150 a night and an RV park that is open to snowbirds, that will tolerate the occasional rattletrap trailer. beer-guzzling goats and the legend of Pancho Villa could lure the Location & Hours 21701 Fm 170 Lajitas, TX 79852 Get directions Edit business info Amenities and More By Appointment Only Accepts Credit Cards Good For Kids Private Lot Parking 2 More Attributes About the Business Escape to Lajitas Golf Resort, no place like it in the world! lavished $100 million to turn the property into an exclusive refuge for Save. wonder at the house, garden, stones and path running down to the river. People who drive out here have prepared themselves for the remoteness, said one stately desert spiritualist who asked not to be named. across the river. outdueled San Francisco hotelier Manou Mobedshahi in the town's saloon When he decided to sell, Smith, a 54-year-old Austin-based telecommunications tycoon, showed up unannounced and unknown, stepping out of his helicopter just before the auction began to buy Lajitas on a whim for $4.25 million. "I still think it could be something special," the 52-year-old Voted #4 Course You Can Play in Texas Golfweek Magazine. Dallas, Texas 75201. Ivey would even get customers prescriptions filled on his weekly runs to Alpine. If you talk to the people who live in South County, youll quickly sense the difference between them and the kinds of people Smith meant to attract, and it is not one of money but philosophy. About 10 minutes later, Ms. Ryan appeared down the road, clad Copyright 2016 (c) | VisitBigBend.com | All Rights Reserved | Brought to you by the Brewster County Tourism Council |. At some point in 2006 Smith decided to stop pouring his own fortune into Lajitas. For The resorts 250 workers made Lajitas the largest employer in South County, and it paid nearly 30 percent of the taxes for the schools in Terlingua. He also hosted monthly dances and impromptu barbecues, when conjunto bands, crossing back into Mexico after performing stateside quinceaeras, would stop in and play for free beer. He says When I go down there now, all I see are a few workers, but theyre not allowed to talk to anybody. ", "It produced a feeling that no matter how nice the adornment, For the American football player, see, "Executive Profile - Energy Transfer Partners - Kelcy L. Warren", "List of Public Companies Worldwide, Letter - Businessweek", "Inside Kelcy Warren's Dallas Mansion - WSJ", "College of Engineering at The University of Texas at Arlington", "Kelcy Warren emerges as one of Dallas' bold new philanthropists", "These Billionaires Received Taxpayer-Funded Stimulus Checks During the Pandemic", "The New Forbes Philanthropy Score: How We Ranked Each Forbes 400 Billionaire Based On Their Giving", "John Fogerty, Lyle Lovett, Bruce Hornsby, Jimmy LaFave put on a killer show on Kelcy Warren's ranch in the Texas Hill Country", "Why Kelcy Warren Named a Park For His Son", "Million-Dollar Donors in the 2016 Presidential Race", "Dakota Access pipeline company and Donald Trump have close financial ties", "The Texas Electric Grid Failure Was a Warm-up", "Stealth billionaire lays claim to Woodall Rodgers park naming rights", "Lajitas Resort: Why you better go now - El Paso Inc.: Publishers Column", "REVEALED: One of world's wealthiest men buys Kilkenny mansion for 12.6m - Kilkenny Now - Your City. in denim with a pink bandana around her neck and gray hair loosely Mountains to a 7,500-foot landing strip surrounded by scrub brush and The gas pumps were gone, as were the willow leaves and goat-pen wire. But instead of a big Spanish villa, he built a modest, 1,800-square-foot cottage with an outdoor fireplace. Dallas most important news stories of the week, delivered to your inbox each Sunday. But about halfway through the meal, one of the guys, no doubt feeling that freewheeling mixture of margaritas and desert remove, commented to the waitress, Weve got a pool going to see if your tits are real or fake.. Ive heard he spent between $80 million and $100 million, but I dont know, said one of the creditors attorneys, who asked not to be identified while the bankruptcy was pending. She also had no way of knowing about the rest of the nights events. Share. He collects music memorabilia, and has a collection that includes autographs of Jackson Browne and drumsticks signed by the Eagles. Communities offer services, amenities, and entertainment. lighting up as if nobody had approached her like that in a long while. Ms. Ryan has squatted on the Lajitas property for 20 years, .he sounds as if hes remembering the greatest day of his life. retreat, an offense to the desert and a leading hotel of the world. When I asked him what would happen if his dream didnt work, he said, Well, at least me and my friends will have a really nice golf course to play. (Smith declined to be interviewed for this article, and Texas Monthly happens to be one of his unsecured creditors, owed $35,000 for unpaid advertising.). would have millionaires mixing with landscape workers and artists and In June 2003, Texas Golfer sent a writer to stay at Lajitas for what would be a cover story for the monthly magazine. At the time of the 2010 census, the population of Lajitas was 75. [21], Warren married the former Sherry Johnson on May 18, 1980, in Dallas, and they divorced in 1991. The vision for a resort at Lajitas began in the late 1970s, I formerly head the sports department at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. "Black Jacks Crossing", designed by PGA Hall of Fame golfer, Lanny Wadkins. As youre exploring Big Bend Country, theres a good chance youll find yourself passing through the blink-and-youll-miss-it town of Lajitas. The course was designed by Lanny Wadkins. He was elected in 1986, and for a time, visiting him was one of the most popular things to do in Lajitas, TX. state parks, Lajitas has long been one of the stranger outposts of the "First let me shake your hand for asking that," Ms. Ryan said, The settlement is named after the Boquillas flagstone found in the area. His dad, Rex, a Brewster County commissioner, owned Lajitas for nearly thirty years before selling it to Mischer in 1977. The wild spirit of the Big Bend region is in full effect at this stunning course whose name pays tribute to U.S. Army Gen. John "Black Jack . Just beyond the far end of the boardwalk, a long, columned breezeway divided the dark, leather-bound Thirsty Goat Saloon and the glass-walled Candelilla Caf overlooking the golf course. [2][6] He served as executive vice-president Cornerstone Natural Gas from 1989 to 1990, and as president and CEO from 1993 to 1996. His whole model was based on the idea that he could somehow tame the desert, refashion it to suit his plan, and it was just a matter of time before his vision became known as Smiths Folly. Neither the plane nor its pilot was affiliated with the resort, and Lajitas was in no way responsible for the crash. Boardwalk Bakery and Pizzeria. [19] During sudden storms, their power will go out, and theyll be trapped wherever they are, the roads made impassable by flashing creeks trying to find the Rio Grande. Nine of the 92 rooms were full, not including Mr. Warren's City documents identified Holmes, but he hadnt hinted at what hed do with his new hunk of Alexander Phimister Proctor-made metal. For those traditionally drawn to the place, whether they were rich or poor, comfort wasnt the major consideration. On the one hand, hes wealthy and owns his own plane. And the recollection of that night is one of the reasons there will be no pour-out on the porch for the death of Smiths vision. Dallas businessman Kelcy Warren believes he can. By then, consultants and friends had convinced Smith that the dream could be real, and toward that end he had already spent $40 million, which he estimated would be half of his ultimate outlay. You could get a six-pack of beer or a spark plug for a live chicken. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. [13], In 2007, he co-founded an independent record label, Music Road Records, with Jimmy LaFave and Fred Remmert. kitchen and outdoor shower -- the woman who says she doesn't have Since Clay Henry, goats have been mayors of the community ever since. Now $179 (Was $201) on Tripadvisor: Lajitas Golf Resort, Lajitas. Later, after as the horse became integrated into the Apache and Comanche culture, these nomadic tribes frequented the area, causing the Spanich to set up a series of Presidios and military colonies, one of which, San Carlos, lies 18 miles south of Lajitas. John Spong writes primarily about popular culture. associates and friends who include former Dallas Cowboys Charlie Waters He has one son, Klyde Warren. And he did sell plenty of beer, the most of any business in Brewster County, he estimates. For groups of And hell, thats the appeal!, Linda Walker, who has run the Lajitas Stables for more than twenty years, guiding horseback tours near the park and into Mexico, is not rich. The elevation of the course is 3500 feet. Enjoy unlimited access to all of our incredible journalism, in print and digital. As an Amazon Associate, Lone Star Travel Guide earns from qualifying purchases. His state-of-the-art gray water filtration system created a wetlands area on the golf course that, along with a 64-acre sanctuary on the river, brought birds to the region not commonly found in the desert. [23], In 2010, he bought the 3,500-acre BootJack Ranch near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, for $46.5 million. I think that's the biggest thing that's Upward of thirty people would gatherMexican workers, snowbirds from the RV park, boatmen and floaters just back from a river trip, and college kids whod stopped in to feed cervezas to Mayor Clay Henry, the towns famous beer-drinking goat. Nearly every living thing a desert dweller encountersbe it plant, bug, or beastis capable of drawing blood. And when he describes how he discovered a hole in a Lajitas urinal once upon a timeId had a few beers and went to take a leak, and my foot kept getting warmer, and I remembered I had my Birkenstocks on, and . These days, Clay Henry can be found (stuffed) at Starlight Theatre in Terlingua, but Clay Henrys descendants continued to act as mayorat least until his grandson met a gnarly fate. As he walked off I noticed that he was stooped and relying on a cane. Voted #1 Most Beautiful Golf Course in Texas Golf Magazine There was a reason Big Bend hadnt already been overrun by the wealthy: the Chihuahuan Desert. [5] "She certainly has the coolest house," he said. If it didnt work out, Smith would just hire somebody else to start over. About Lajitas Golf Resort. The crowds would grow to three hundred people and still be going when Ivey showed up for work the next morning, when he would finally shoo folks away. Leave them blank to get signed up. enough time to make money and the businessman who can't seem to stop Lajitas is an unincorporated community in Brewster County, Texas, United States, near the Big Bend National Park. Tucked away in Texas' historic Big Bend between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend State Park lies Lajitas Resort, the perfect setting Im standing here on the putting green looking at it right now, Beasley said Friday morning. No spam, ever. William H. Emory also visited Lajitas in 1852. The first is the effect of the arid Big Bend environs, of the baking sun, beating winds, and unrelenting dust. He even had employees ambush chartered busloads of seniors headed to his hotel, stopping their caravans on the highway and stealing their valuables. He said his condition was a recent development. The name Lajitas is Spanish for little flat rocks and refers to the Boquillas limestone of the area. Folks lolled in the shade, shot pool on a felt-free pool table on the porch, rolled dice in the corner, and fed quarters into a jukebox that Ivey stocked with Vicente Fernndez 45s that he bought on regular trips to Jurez. H.W. On the Wide Plains West of Lubbock, a Chainsaw Carver Works From an Old Cotton Gin, Texas Lege Watch: A House Republican Fights for Chicken Freedom, Family Memories Echo Through an East Texas Shoe Shop, Texas Monthly Recognized by ASME in the 2023 National Magazine Awards, Our Guide to Johnson City, Where You Can Stroll to Wineries and Museums. That population boom influenced a boom in another town, just 13 miles away: Lajitas. Tel: 1-877-LAJITAS The community was said to be "about the only place where you can shoot 360 degrees", since Santa Fe and Sedona were already used up. , we came back to resort and spent time lounging in the pool. for your away-from-it-all adventure. He housed and subsidized an infirmary that provided affordable, reliable health care. Front Desk: (432) 424-5000 said Thursday aboard his private jet, flying over the desert and Davis A The Lajitas area was then bought by Rex Ivey, Jr., who brought electricity to the community in 1949 and sold part of it to Walter M. Mischer, a Houston entrepreneur and owner of Mischer Corporation. He restored the community in 1976 with his corporation's subsidiary, Arrow Development Company. Columnar basalt that is similar to that of the Devils Postpile National Monument in California can be found in a high desert dry river falls area just north of Lajitas. I was doctor, vet, lawyer, marriage counselor, pharmacist, and an importer of wax. The accommodations themselves truly run the gamut, making use of the original town of Lajitas wherever possible. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. A stay in a historic hotel, a swanky villa, or even the resorts Maverick RV Park are all options at Lajitas Golf Resort. Beasley doesnt seem concerned about any controversy. The resort features an 18-hole golf course a luxury hotel and a variety of amenities and activities for guests to enjoy. He married Amy Hudson on June 3, 2010, in Dallas. he wants to put it more in touch with surrounding Brewster County, with [17], The Kelcy Warren Foundation supports the Caddo Lake Institution, an organization with the mission of protecting the ecological, cultural and economic integrity of Caddo Lake and its associated wetlands and watershed. While few doubted that Smith genuinely loved the area, they saw no signs that he knew how hard it was to live there. ), 7+ Great Girls Trips in Texas (Weekend Getaway Ideas! "Lajitas" translates to "little flat rocks" in Spanish. Whats Up With All the Kangaroos on the Loose in Texas? By the mid-1980s, Lajitas became a resort town with 15 businesses serving 50 people. [20] He gave $1 million to Greg Abbott after the 2021 legislative session. The biggest attractions that draw visitors to Lajitas, of course, are Big Bend Ranch State Park to the west and Big Bend National Park to the east. The population of Lajitas plummeted to only four when Terlingua's quicksilver mines closed. We offer world class golf on our award Good, 21701 FM 170 Lajitas, Texas 79852 The store and saloon were operated by H.W. However given [], 2023All Sports FAQAll rights reserved, Powered byWPDesigned with the Customizr theme. But its not the reason anyones coming out here, and thats why Im proud of it. Be aware that cell phones may inadvertently change to Mountain Time and cause you to be an hour behind schedule. [7] Warren went to White Oak High School. On Monday, the sculpture completed a 600-mile journey to Black Jacks Crossing near the border, about a dozen miles from Terlingua. At press time two weeks later, the various parties were still trying to hammer out an agreement, and the door was open for someone else to swoop in and snatch it up. Yelp users havent asked any questions yet about. It then became a port of entry when several cattle ranches and mining enterprises appeared in Coahuila and Chihuahua in Mexico and increased commerce across the Rio Grande River. Lajitas, he hopes, may have another life yet. But the desert has always had a way of withering material A motel stood on the same land in the 1980s. Find Lajitas Resorts and Resort Rentals. At first, we only knew the buyer by his online auction nameLawDude. When Steve Smith bought the remote Big Bend town of Lajitas in 2000, he dreamed of building a lush, five-star retreat that would attract the likes of Tiger Woods and Tom Cruise . When Lajitass marketing team suggested that all the resort needed to take off was a visitor with A-list celebrity credentials, one Tom Cruise or Tiger Woods, Terlingua just laughed. What Im Watching: Dallas Mavericks Basketball. Bill Ivey owns the Ghost Town at Terlingua now, but he ran the trading post through the eighties. [2] It is also located 95mi (153km) south of Alpine and 50mi (80km) east of Presidio.[7]. Her answer: No dice. At the end of the meal, he tipped her $50. Though it was appraised on the Brewster County tax rolls at $16 million, Smiths own investment in the place has reportedly been more than $100 million. The omicron variant has arrived in the U.S. as Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers is blocked by a federal judge. On the day of the wedding, after our adventure in. Who Owns Lajitas Golf Resort by Joshua|Published August 25, 2019 The Lajitas Golf Resort is a full-service golf resort and spa located in the Big Bend region of West Texas. Nothing unusual about that or about the fact that a couple of the men were somewhat flirty with the waitress, an attractive young woman whod been living in the area for about a year. And there was one other significant problem. The resort is currently owned by EPGolf LLC. Lajitas resort avoids foreclosure with bankruptcy court filing. Built in 1912, it was just a beaten-up, dirt-floor adobe, with a front porch constructed of railroad ties and rails drug from Terlinguas languishing quicksilver mines, and shade provided from a willow-leaf awning held in place by goat-pen wire. The Kolaches of West, Texas (Bakeries + Beyond), 13 Useful Tips for Visiting the Alamo in San Antonio, How to Visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris, TX (+ Photos & FAQ), 10 Great Texas Gulf Coast RV Parks (Beach Trip Ideas), 10+ Tips for Round Top, TX Shopping Trips (Antiques Fair Advice! Compare luxury resorts and resort hotels in Lajitas with Rent By Owner View 72 homes for sale in Lajitas, TX at a median listing home price of $89,000. Kelcy Lee Warren (born November 9, 1955)[1] is an American billionaire and the chairman and chief executive officer of Energy Transfer Partners.[2][3][4][5][6]. In The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, Pete and a coyote sit overlooking the Rio Grande near Lajitas. It was neat and comfortable, but somewhere in the two rooms there should have been a desk, and the television should have provided a clear picture and more than nineteen channels. So when you meet someone who lives in Terlingua or Study Butte or Lajitasthat area known in local shorthand as South Countyyou might not be able to tell if hes thirty or sixty. Ever since I retired, I decided to put up this blog alongside the best brains among my old student to uphold the sporting spirit in us. The second day was to be spent on the Ambush, the only course Smith ended up building. See 1,059 traveler reviews, 860 candid photos, and great deals for Lajitas Golf Resort, ranked #1 of 1 hotel in Lajitas and rated 4 of 5 at Tripadvisor. It brings a satisfaction, not of beating the desert but of surviving it. The excellent bread pudding provided some redemption, but not enough to justify a $190 bill. The Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa is a 20,000-acre golf resort business in Lajitas owned by Texas businessman Kelcy Warren, who bought the resort from previous owner Steve Smith while the business was going through financial distress. (Id have liked to watch the baseball playoffs, but I blame TBS for that.) I hear once a week or more, from people I dont even know, who tell me how much the trading post meant to them and how sad they are that its gone, he said. The first white settlers came to the area in the mid-1800s. [5], In 2020, Forbes gave Warren its lowest score for philanthropy, a "1." He has Accommodations run the range from convenient and comfortable to resort luxury. http://www.dallasnews.com. and were blown away by the immense beauty of the course. The lowest recorded temperature at the resort is 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The auction itself was off-limits to the press, as lawyers for Lajitas worried that the presence of reporters would chill the bidding. [2][6], In 2007, he bought the bankrupt Lajitas Resorts in Lajitas, Texas, as a real estate investment. These activities increased commerce across the Rio Grande into Texas; consequently, by 1900 Lajitas was designated a substation port of entry. [9] RECO invested $7 million on a wind farm that was scheduled for completion in 2017.[10]. There are similar hotels available. "In fact, I'd be shocked if there [9] It is located on the Rio Grande, bordering Mexico,[10] between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park. It is located on a bluff overlooking the Rio Grande at San Carlos ford of the old Comanche Trail, in the northern part of the Chihuahuan Desert in southwestern Brewster County. In 1999 Williams sold the resort to a group of investors led by Dickie Pamplin. Big Bend is a diverse region with endless possibilities for adventure and discovery. Thats the way the project was run, as if success was secondary. Wisely, he decided to move the party up the highway to what was then the only other bar near Terlingua, La Kiva. Shes quieter than Tinsley but on the same page. She stared at him. Lajitas Golf Resort is open Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun. 289 on the Forbes 400 list of the richest people in America, with an estimated net worth of $3.8 billion. [12] Before that, Lajitas had a school with 50 students in 1912. The crossing was described as a smooth, rock bottom, and was best between Del Rio and El Paso. [2], Starting in the 1980s as a joke, for many years the purported mayor of Lajitas was Clay Henry III, a "beer-drinking" goat. Black Jack's Crossing Dallas sold the statue for $1.4 million in June after the City Council decided to auction it off. I had been down in South County reporting for that story on the new Lajitas (and in my defense, Id not participated in the pool). A major hotel chain. View all View all photos (863) Our 27,000 acre Texas resort is famous for its solitude, natural beauty and rugged desert environment. The latest auction of Lajitas was marked by considerably less drama than the last one. Lajitas Golf Resort accepts credit cards. Due to the closing of the Terlingua quicksilver mines, the number of residents in Lajitas had dwindled to four. The resort is currently owned by a group of investors led by Bob McNair. If youre traveling on the cheap, that could make a funny story. Fast forward another few decades, though, and Lajitas, TX experienced a curious twist of fate: a corporation from Houston bought the entire town, restored most of the buildings, and turned it into a resort for golfers and visitors exploring Big Bend Country. It was closed temporarily in 1910, reopened in 1916, and closed permanently in 1939. Too many decisions were made in the creation of the new Lajitas by people who didnt seem to think very hard about what they were doing. About us. And frankly, I dont think Smith even knows. John Poindexter, the owner of Big Bends Cibolo Creek Ranch resort, was among the last to arrive and the last to leave. [8], He lives in Preston Hollow, Dallas[5] on an 8+ acre estate on Park Lane valued at more than $30 million. newspaper, go to My first thought was, Id spend a million to spruce it up a little bit, he told the San Antonio Express-News shortly thereafter. And everyone carried guns back then, but they knew to check them with me at the door or Id lose my beer license. Ivey shakes his head as he realizes that this wasnt that long ago. Yes guests are welcome to bring their pets to the resort. It closed temporarily in 1910 and reopened six years later. Black Jacks Crossing Golf Course Awards & Accolades, For Sales Info, Contact: Scott Beasley 214-981-0758. Warren also serves as chairman of the general partner of Energy Transfer Equity. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This desert golf resort has breathtaking views that make it hard to believe that it is in our own backyard! The Big Bend is not the kind of place you want to drive through and look out your window at, Ivey continued. McNairs group paid $132.5 million for the property making it one of the most expensive golf resorts ever sold. But it wasnt. In mid-October, Lajitas was back up for sale. But the desert has always had a way of withering material ambition. Lajitas has a hot arid climate with very hot summers and mild winters. We also offer our 5 Stand Sporting Clay Shoot, Cowboy Action shoot, Equestrian Center for family horseback rides, and many other It had to be replaced. After Hours Scheduling. braided. The woman, and, for that matter, all of Terlingua, was offended. Lajitas Golf Resort has been welcoming Booking.com guests since Jan 27, 2014 Most popular amenities Outdoor swimming pool Free WiFi Free parking Non-smoking rooms Candelilla Facilities for disabled guests Fitness center Spa Family rooms Bar Property Highlights Top Location: Highly rated by recent guests (8.7) Free Parking Available On Site
