Centerpiece of Southwest Mich. revitalization project set to open for nine-hole preview play
BENTON HARBOR, Mich. – July 15, 2009 – The Golf Club at Harbor Shores announced recently that the Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course in Benton Harbor, Mich., is nearing completion as the designer himself conducted a recent inspection of the property. The championship golf course will serve as the cornerstone for the 530-acre master-planned community which will include residential units, commercial space, a marina, a hotel/conference center and various other resort and community amenities.
While the 18-hole layout is set to open in spring 2010, the golf course will be open for limited preview play July 15 through Oct. 15, 2009. The nine-hole, par-35 loop can be played from 2,583 to 3,336 yards and will be offered Fridays through Sundays to 60 players per day.
Visitors to the Southwest Michigan property — located 90 minutes east of Chicago — will be treated to a spacious layout that strategically winds through native wetlands and natural sand dunes with bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan.
Part of a unique non-profit development partnership, Harbor Shores is designed to serve as a catalyst for community transformation by producing significant economic impact to the area by creating jobs and generating new consumer spending and tax revenue. Harbor Shores is planned in order to restore beauty to a pristine area of Lake Michigan’s waterfront through the restoration of local public park space, the clean up of brownfields, and the preservation of natural wetlands.
“This [property] is really a huge enabler to drive community transformation and economic growth – not only in Benton Harbor but throughout Southwestern Michigan,” said Nicklaus during his recent visit to the property to inspect the final three holes along the waterfront.
Golfers interested in booking a tee time for preview play at The Golf Club at Harbor Shores, which is managed by Northbrook, Ill.-based KemperSports, should call 269.927.4653 or visit www.harborshoresgolf.com to book an online tee time.
About the Harbor Shores Project
Harbor Shores is the First Beach and Signature Golf Resort Community in Southwest Michigan. The 530-acre, mixed-use development spans parts of Benton Harbor, St. Joseph and Benton Township. This new master-planned community is in close proximity to Lake Michigan and sits along the beautiful St. Joseph and Paw Paw Rivers. Harbor Shores’ central amenity is an 18-hole, public Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course. In addition, plans call for more than 12 miles of walking/biking trails, marinas, nearly 800 residential units, commercial space, a hotel/conference center, indoor water park, parks and new green space, and various other amenities.
Harbor Shores, a non-profit developer, envisions the golf course and the resort community to be a catalyst to continue the revitalization of Southwest Michigan by retaining residents, boosting county-wide school enrollments, and creating new job opportunities. This visionary project is a public-private partnership and truly one of a kind in the country.
About KemperSports
Northbrook, Ill.-based KemperSports operates golf facilities as well as athletic clubs, lodging venues and major sporting events, including nationally ranked courses and tournament venues such as Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Dorado Beach Resort & Club, The Glen Club, Harding Park, Desert Willow Golf Resort and Chambers Bay, host of the 2010 U.S. Amateur and the 2015 U.S. Open. Affiliate KemperSports Marketing & Communications, a sports marketing, events and public relations agency, has produced and managed major national and international events, including the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational college basketball tournament. For more information, visit www.kempersports.com.
Contact:
B.R. Koehnemann
847.291.6740, brkoehnemann@kempersports.com
