Industry Update
Maryland Lawmaker Aims to Eliminate Property Tax Breaks for CCs
Del. Gariel Acevero introduced a House bill that would remove tax caps on golf course land across the state, ending the 10-year agreements with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation that allows golf course or country club land to be assessed at $1,000 per acre. This bill would interfere with changes made in last year’s budget that enacted a phased increase of tax assessments for country clubs and golf courses. The budget changes include special use assessment increases from $1,000 to $5,000 over a three-year period. According to Patrick “P.J.” Hogan, a former Montgomery County state senator and lobbyist for a coalition of country clubs, “A bill like this really in many ways violates that agreement.” Maryland Matters.
ClubCorp Says Court Made ‘Clear Error’ in Arbitration Ruling
ClubCorp recently urged a California federal court to reconsider its refusal to send to a lawsuit— involving two California club members who were charged membership dues while the club was closed due to COVID-19—to arbitration. ClubCorp argues the club members had access to club bylaws stating they were bound by arbitration agreements. Law360.
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Don Peebles Shares His Story on Purchasing the Bath Club (video)
2021 Class of CMAA Fellows Program Selected
Trends Watch
A Look at Restaurant Usage During 2020
In February 2020, the National Restaurant Association launched a national survey that measured how consumers were using restaurants through different stages of the pandemic, categorized as: pre-pandemic, lockdown, initial reopening, summer/fall, winter restrictions and early spring 2021. While on-premise meals are still coming in below pre-pandemic levels across all age groups, off-premise dining has increased. National Restaurant Association.
Lodging Technology Survey Results are In
The 2021 Lodging Technology Study, Reimagining Hospitality, conducted by Hospitality Technology, includes data from more than 70% of decision makers at 22,000 properties across the globe. The results indicate strong consensus on amenities like free, robust Wi-Fi and contactless transactions and highlight the budget limitations that are found more often to be shrinking than growing. Hospitality Tech.
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Restaurant Menus Change as the Pandemic Forces Restaurants to Adapt
Restaurants Redefine ‘Full’ and ‘Service’ During Pandemic
On the Green
Wigwam GC Opts for Natural Rodent Control
The Wigwam Golf Club in Litchfield Park, Ariz., added eight barn owl habitats throughout its courses aimed at hunting rodents. Chad Parron, Wigwam’s superintendent says “we started to see a gopher problem here, so we decided to reach out to the Rescue to have them build some owl houses for us. This is really just a natural way to remove the gophers, instead of using chemicals.” C+RB.
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Nicklaus Dusts Off Golf Shoes for Ascension Charity Classic at Norwood Hills CC
One Year Later, Lessons for Superintendents
WE ARE GOLF to Celebrate National Golf Day
Oregon Golf Industry Reports $1.6B in Total Economic Impact
Diversity & Inclusion
Insights from Starbucks’ Mellody Hobson, the Only Black Chairwoman in S&P 500
Nationwide interest in workplace diversity has surged and declined on and off over the years, but Mellody Hobson believes this time is different. She sees signs of real change happening and says, “the broader society is keeping score. There are consequences that exist for not living up to those commitments.” WSJ.
Designing Purpose-Driven Board Leadership
As boards evolve, organizations should focus on purpose-driven leadership at the board level to support the critical work of the organization. The four principles: purpose before organization, respect for the ecosystem, equity mindset and authorized voice and power, can help create purpose-driven boards that lean into the “pursuit of a social good purpose at an ecosystem level.” SSIR.
Black and Hispanic Women Face Financial Pressure From Pandemic
The pandemic has caused more than 2.3 million women in total to leave the labor force (since February 2020) and the unemployment numbers skew higher toward Black and Latina women at 8% compared to white women at 5.2%. Research also shows “the typical Black or Hispanic family has $2,000 or less in liquid savings, where a typical white family has more than four times that amount.” WSJ.
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Working Women During the Past Year in the Pandemic
Universities and Organization’s Role in Hospitality Industry Inclusion
Detroit PGA Tour Stop Creates 4-Day Event for Black Golfers
Operations and Membership
Rancho La Quinta CC Adds 8 Pickleball Courts
Rancho La Quinta Country Club added eight pickleball courts as the latest amenity to the 36-hole golf club to attract home buyers to the community. Nolan Sparks, vice president/project manager at Rancho La Quinta says there are opportunities for pickleball to grow even more this summer as the sport is another outdoor, social activity that people are able to do during the pandemic. Desert Sun.
From Cradle to Grave, the Importance of Catering to Older Members
Robert Sereci, GM/COO at Medinah Country Club says brushing off unhappiness of senior members is “irresponsible at best and cruel at worst.” Complaints from senior members often include things such as changes in club culture, the club becoming too casual, the club focusing too much on young families and overlooking senior members’ needs, and membership dues when compared to younger members. Sereci says senior member responses should be taken “less as a sentiment towards a specific service or product, and more as an appeal for attention, because they feel we have ‘left them behind.’” C+RB.
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The Future of Events, Think Small
The Importance of Investing in Human Capital