Impressive multi-year renovation driven by Concert Golf Partners pays homage to the tradition and heritage of the storied North Carolina club
Editors: For photos of MacGregor Downs Country Club, please click here.
CARY, N.C. and LAKE MARY, Fla. – Creating a new and classic design that pays homage to the rich history and tradition of MacGregor Downs Country Club, Concert Golf Partners is completing a multi-year, multi-million dollar capital improvement project at the fabled North Carolina facility.
Clubhouse renovations were carefully aligned with the niche look and feel of MacGregor Downs. Using a delicate balance that warrants a custom, tailored approach, the improvements marry a traditional design with a fresh and modern spin.
Concert Golf Partners, which is based near Orlando in Lake Mary, Fla., acquired MacGregor Downs Country Club in 2014. There has been more than $10.5 million of investment into the club since then, including an extensive bunker renovation completed in 2021, and major improvements to the pool area in 2022. Another significant upgrade to the pool area is expected in 2024.
A well-maintained, well-funded country club in a neighborhood is better for a community member’s largest financial investment, their home, as opposed to member-owned clubs that might struggle to pass assessments or stick to a business plan for decades with a revolving board of members with differing agendas.
The acquisition by Concert 10 years ago has spurred a significant increase in home values in the MacGregor Downs community ever since. Uncertainty about the club’s future was removed, as Concert paid off all outstanding debt and injected a decade’s worth of capital improvements.
“While an acquisition can be a concern for private club members, I am very pleased Concert Golf Partners was our choice,” said MacGregor Downs Advisory Board Member John Kemeny. “Their ability to maintain the legacy and personality of the club while providing efficiencies, upgrades and vision for long-term success has been a welcome perspective. Their efforts to provide enhanced quality for the membership in golf, tennis, dining, facilities, and the social atmosphere has outpaced any improvements we could have provided as a self-managed country club.”
“We are so excited about the significant capital investment made by Concert Golf Partners to elevate MacGregor’s amazing look, feel, and vibe for our members and guests,” added Ed Hanley, PGA General Manager. “At its heart, MacGregor is both rustic and elegant, and we wanted to keep that feel coupled with dramatic modern enhancements to bring the facility to a new level of excellence.”
MacGregor’s wooden beams remain as trademark fixtures, as a nod to its past and in respect to the unique character of the building. LED lighting was installed in the Lakeside Room and the upstairs conference room for a more updated look, and new carpet and paint were added throughout the facility.
The former fitness center space was transformed into the St. Andrew’s Room pool bar in August. The area now serves as a very popular central gathering spot for both member events and special events year-round.
Designed by Willard Byrd, the 18-hole private golf course at MacGregor Downs has been annually rated as one of the best courses in the Southeastern United States. During the 1970s, MacGregor Downs hosted the Liggett & Myers PGA Tour Match Play Championships and currently hosts the Stitch Intercollegiate each year. Some of the greatest names in golf have walked its fairways alongside Lake MacGregor, including Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Lee Trevino.
For more information about MacGregor Downs Country Club, membership, and event opportunities, visit macgregordowns.org.
About MacGregor Downs Country Club
MacGregor Downs Country Club in Cary, North Carolina is a welcoming private club nestled on the shores of Lake MacGregor within the prestigious MacGregor Downs community. Established in 1967, MacGregor Downs is an elegant and personal club with a proud Scottish heritage and a wide variety of amenities for the entire family.
About Concert Golf Partners
Concert Golf Partners is a boutique owner-operator of top private golf and country clubs. Formed in 2011 by Peter Nanula, Founder and CEO of Arnold Palmer Golf Management in the 1990s, and Co-Founder and COO, Susan Dunnavant, Concert Golf has amassed $250 million of patient, long-term equity capital to invest in private clubs. Concert Golf is unique for its track record of preserving the identity and traditions of historic clubs. Concert Golf’s boutique collection of upscale clubs now numbers 33 nationally, including both formerly developer-owned clubs, such as The Club at Longview in Charlotte, N.C. and The Club at Renaissance in Ft. Myers, Fla., as well as longtime member-owned clubs such as White Manor Country Club in Philadelphia, Pa., and The Muttontown Club on Long Island, N.Y.
Media Contact
Michael Abramowitz
Concert Golf Media Consultant
561-389-4647
mabramowitz@concertgolfclubs.com
