A New World Class Caribbean Golf Course and Club

Following the success of the world famous Casa De Campo Resort, Playa Grande in the north of the Dominican Republic has become the next important region for  upscale resort development.

This region is becoming popular for its outstanding beaches, among the finest in the Caribbean, the natural beauty of the area and the one-hour, 50-mile proximity to Puerto Plata International Airport, serviced by at least six daily flights from the major airline hubs of  Miami, New York and Puerto Rico, as well as a host of charter flights from around the world.

Years ago, Casa de Campo was successfully developed as a full five-star hotel and villa resort, attracting Oscar de le Renta, the Creed and Koffler families from Toronto and other wealthy owners from the U.S. and around the world. The facilities and their renowned "Teeth of the Dog" golf course enjoy stellar reputations.

Today however, Playa Grande's natural features promises much more.

Design by Robert Trent Jones Sr

As part of the master plan for the Playa Grande development, the Dominican government acquired/designated about 1,000 acres along four or five miles of spectacular oceanfront, which includes the spectacular Playa Grande Beach. The government then invited tenders for the design of the anchor golf course for the area.

Robert Trent Jones, Sr. visited the property in 1992 to prepare a design and is said to have actually cried when he was subsequently called and told that he had been chosen to be the architect.

The course took five years to complete and opened in 1998 with a breathtaking twelve holes touching the ocean. The combination of the ocean expanse along bluffs covered by the course, the spectacular "Playa Grande Beach" next to it, the beautifully treed slopes framing it inland and the spectacular palms and gardens on the course itself present a stunning vista.

The course quickly gained renown as  "The Pebble Beach of the Caribbean" given it has 12 oceanfront holes compared with Pebble Beach's six.

Trent-Jones, now in his 80's and confined to a wheel chair claims the Playa Grande course to be the crowning glory of his career: "It's the best course I ever designed. I thank God I had the thrill of doing this and that my last course was my all-time best course."
 
 

The Villas at Playa Grande Golf & Beach Club

The 60,000 square meters (15 acres) immediately opposite the Playa Grande Golf Course main entrance is being acquired by Playa Grande Golf & Beach Club Inc and will become the area's first five star golf and beach villa development. Seventy-two luxury two-bedroom villas with private swimming pools and every conceivable amenity are being built on this gated site.

The site reigns over the spectacular Playa Grande golf course, Playa Grande Beach and endless miles of gorgeous rolling ocean waves. All of the villas will enjoy a 180-degree view of this stunning vista interrupted only by a sprinkling of stately Royal Palms.

Each fully furnished two bedroom villa will feature total privacy, a fully equipped kitchen, master bedroom with ensuite bath, a guest bedroom with private entrance,  full bath and kitchenette,an individual private swimming pool and spa tub (one for each villa) and spacious patio terraces - all overlooking the golf course, the beach and the breathtaking ocean vista.

In order to create an atmosphere of comfort and luxury, each villa will be equipped with individually controlled, noiseless air conditioning, ceiling fans in every room, walk-in dressing areas, built-in dressers, flex reading lights on every bed, bedside bathroom light switch, valet stand, over-size "open-air" shower stalls, soaker tub, bidet, double sinks, magnifying mirror, silent flush toilets, hair dryer, make-up vanity, dimmers on all lights, in-room safe, computer/internet hook-ups, direct dial telephones, hammocks, CD/tape music system, TV & VCR, a telescope for viewing the ocean, golf course and night sky... and more.
Construction of the first twelve of the seventy-two villas will begin Summer 2000 and will be ready for occupancy December 2000.

"Every Conceivable Amenity"

The luxurious array of services available for members and their guests will include check-in amenities such as fresh fruit and flowers in each room and an attendant to show you your villa, daily housekeeping services, room service, childcare services, massage salon, distinctive open-air rental jeeps, beach shuttle, large private year-round lockers, food and supplies shopping service, "endless menu" meal options, stocked bar, fine wine ordering and storage, luxury robes & beach towels, overnight "leave them by the door" shoe and laundry cleaning and a host of other amenities designed to make every visit a lasting memory.

The "19th Hole Club" perched atop the grounds will feature the spacious and comfortable "Costa Grande Lounge", the five star "Albarada Dining Room", private dining/meeting rooms, a panoramic "endless" pool with swim up bar and a spacious terrace - all with a spectacular golf course and sea-scape view.

The "The Master's Health Club & Spa" across the path from The 19th Hole Club, will include the totally casual/coming home "Master's Bar" with finger-food, burgers and drinks, overnight golf club and duds storage lockers, golf-club cleaning, shower rooms, fully equipped exercise room, massage rooms, steam room, library (books, CDs, tapes, movies), billiards room and complete spa facilities including a consummate health and beauty package for the female members.

The adjacent activities area will include a large putting green, warm-up driving range, lighted double tennis courts, shuffle board courts, horseshoe pits and croquet pitch.

Off-premises services will include; luxury private bus transport to and from Puerto Plata airport (with refreshments and a stewardess on board for the one-hour journey), private accompanied or unaccompanied golf tours, tee-off reservations for any of the ten finest courses in the Dominican Republic, beach shuttles to Playa Grande Beach five minutes away, horse trail riding and a full array of water sports including snorkeling, scuba diving and windsurfing. (There is a World Championship beach and windsurfing course half an hour away at Cabarete). Deep-sea fishing, and sailing are also available.

Day trip tours to any of the several areas of interest in the region will be available including, for example, whale-watching in Samana, only two hours away by car.

 

Own a Piece of Paradise

Private membership is available in Playa Grande Golf & Beach Club through the purchase of an "Equity Quarter Share". Each Equity Quarter Share represents ownership of twelve weeks annual perpetual usage of a two bedroom luxury villa of the owner's choice.

Through this structure, operation, maintenance and the full range of five star services for the member's golf-paradise home-away-from-home are automatically provided. One of the many other advantages of Quarter Share ownership is that far less capital is required than if the unit were to be purchased as a condominium.

Quarter Share is an "equity" ownership program. Thus the option of selling the perpetual annual twelve week use of a villa to a third party at the then-market rates is available to owners at all times.

Program Flexibility

Quarter Share members may not always want to use their entire twelve weeks at the club. What's more, they may not have a need for two bedrooms on all of their visits. Thus, several options are available for the times not used.

Unused villa weeks can be traded for resort facilities all over the world or they can be put into the Club rental pool and earn a return.

Members will be entitled to "trade" any number of weeks for RCI or II resort facilities selecting from more than 5,000 resort properties around the world. They include the full range of resort activities from skiing (any Intrawest resort, for example), golf (over 500 North American and international sites), sun & surf (literally hundreds of resorts spread throughout the world), dude ranches and so on.

Unused weeks can be also be rented out privately or contributed to the resort rental pool. Similarly the independent guest suite can be put into the rental pool if only one bedroom is required. Revenues developed from rental pool contributions are to be shared 50% with the villa owners.

Project Ownership/Management

Playa Grande Golf & Beach Club Development Inc, the builder/marketer, will be owned 35% by the Founding Members and 65% by Dominican, Canadian and U.S. interests. The Dominican participants have been carefully chosen to include individuals whose regional insight and stature ensure effective  integration with Dominican institutions and community relations on every level.

Mr. Robert Stewart, a Canadian with vast experience in the Caribbean hospitality industry, is managing the project. Since obtaining a Hotel Management degree in 1983, his vast experience includes assignments at the well known Sandals resorts, Vacation Inns, Radisson, Jack Tar Villages and other chains. His most recent position was General Manager of Sunset Beach Resort and Spa, Montego Bay, Jamaica, $25 million-per-year resort with 430 rooms and 10 food & beverage outlets.

Founding Members’ Equity Bonus/Buyback Program
 

Seventy-two, two bedroom villas are planned for Playa Grande Golf & Beach Club giving rise to Equity Quarter Share total membership of less than three hundred families or corporations.

Twelve of the villas along with the clubhouse and other common facilities are to be constructed during the year 2000. The remaining sixty units will be built over 2001/2002. Following the twelve-unit launch the marketing prices of the Quarter Shares are anticipated in the US$125,000 to US$150,000 range in line with or below the pricing of other high-end resort Quarter Share programs.

The first thirty-five memberships in the club are being offered on a Founding Member basis because the funds are to be provided pre-construction.

Founding Members Program:

• Quarter Share price of $65,000.
• A one percent (1%) equity bonus in the overall development calculated and audited following GAAP rules with a pro-forma payback of $220,000 (please see below). Thus the Founding Members should enjoy more than a double on their investment plus perpetual ownership in their Quarter Share free.
• Membership can be purchased with $65,000 cash or $75,000 Letter of Credit maturing December 31, 2003. (It is anticipated that the payout on the 1% equity should retire the Letters of Credit prior to this date).
• After the first visit to the site, if for any reason the member wishes to withdraw, their Quarter Share will be the next one to be sold with a full refund.
• All Founding Members’ funds are to be lodged in a trust account pending receipt of sufficient funds from the developers and the Founding Members together to complete projected construction and servicing costs for Phase One – the first twelve villas plus clubhouse.

Commitment
A subscription agreement is available upon request. Please contact D.G.Badger at badger@estation.com, telephone 705 466 2773 or fax 466 2819.
 
 
 

Contact Us
For further information please write to
The Playa Grande Golf & Beach Club
P.O. Box 535 Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

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