Asheville Regional Airport in Purchase Agreement with Broadmoor Golf Links
The Greater Asheville Regional Airport Authority (GARAA) and Warrior Golf Management, LLC (Broadmoor Golf Links) have entered into a purchase agreement, a spokesperson with the airport said on Thursday.
According to Tina Kinsey, who is the GARAA Director of Marketing and Public Relations, the purchase agreement is contingent and requires the successful completion of GARAA's due diligence, now underway.
"Negotiations to acquire Broadmoor Golf Links have been occurring for many months, and the airport is pleased to move forward with this next step," Kinsey said.
That next big step will be getting approval from the Henderson County Board of Commissioners at its next meeting, which will be on Wednesday, June 17. The GARAA sent a request to the Board and detailed its reasons for the purchase.
In the request, the GARAA noted that "a portion of the golf course is located in the runway protection zone (owned by the Airport). The Airport owns the entrance area into this property off of Bolyston Highway. The property is approximately 193.31 acres (within Henderson County) and the majority of the property is located within the floodway and portions of the property that are not in the floodway are in the flood plain."
GARAA's purchase is subject to the Board's approval and also approval at a bankruptcy court hearing scheduled for Monday. In March, Broadmoor Golf Links filed for bankruptcy protection and the owners put the property up for sale for $3 million, according to several published reports.
The golf course has been in business since 1993 and was one of Western North Carolina's only links-style courses with no housing or out of bounds on any of its 18 holes. It was designed by famed golf course architect Karl Litton, and its tees measure from 5,600 to over 7,000 yards.
It also has a 15,000-square-foot clubhouse that was available for weddings, company outings and business meetings.
While the airport hasn't officially said what it plans to do with the property, it sounds like it will not be used for golf after the purchase.
"It is important to note that while the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted and then prolonged negotiations, the crisis also highlighted the significant importance of revenue diversification such as this for the airport's long-term sustainability," said Lew Bleiweis, A.A.E., GARAA Executive Director "This is a responsible use of airport assets to generate a positive return to support the future vitality of our region's airport."
The purchase will be made with funds already identified for this investment, according to Kinsey.
"If the airport acquires Broadmoor Golf Links, it will be a strategic purchase in line with the airport's long-term goals to 1. ensure that the airport remains protected from non-compatible land uses adjacent to that portion of the airport and 2. diversify the airport's future revenue sources. Both goals are guided by Federal Aviation Administration grant assurance requirements," she said.
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