Coastal Carolina University is moving ahead with its plans to lease Quail Creek Golf Course.
The university announced Monday it was partnering with a West Virginia company, Glenmark Holdings, to operate the course, which lies adjacent to the CCU campus.
Glenmark would purchase the course from its present owners, Classic Golf Group, and lease it to CCU in five-year increments.
Quail Creek would remain open as a public course, operated by CCU for its professional golf-management program. CCU is one of only three universities in the nation with a PGA-accredited golf program that lacks its own course, said CCU counsel Eddie Dyer.
"If we have a course, we'll be able to take in more students," he said.
There's no dollar amount on the lease, which still must be worked out between CCU and Glenmark.
The deal must be approved by the CCU board of trustees, the S.C. Budget and Control Board, and other authorities. A final decision is not expected until next year, said CCU President Ron Ingle.
"It's going to take months," Ingle said.
The deal would satisfy residents living on the course who feared the course could be sold for redevelopment.
Ed Jerdon, a managing partner in Classic Golf Group, said redevelopment was a possibility before the sale to Glenmark materialized.
The sale to Glenmark will go forward regardless of whether CCU's lease is approved by officials, so it's still possible the course could be redeveloped if the lease deal falls through.
Jerdon said he thinks the deal will work.
Mark Nesselroad and Glenn Adrian, the two principals of Glenmark Holding, could not be reached Monday evening.
Glenmark is a Morgantown, W.Va.-based real estate development firm that has built nursing homes and commercial projects in West Virginia. According to Horry County property records, the company owns three lots in Socastee.
Source: The Myrtle Beach Sun-News