Mark Bell, who has had grocery, bar and nightclub interests in the Athens, Ga. area, bought the club that has operated for more than three decades for approximately $1.7 million.
Jennings Mill Country Club, an 18-hole golf course that has operated in the Athens, Ga. area for more than three decades, has been purchased by longtime Athens businessman Mark Bell for approximately $1.7 million, the Athens Banner-Herald reported.
The club, set in an upscale residential community in Oconee County near the Athens Perimeter, has been “quietly” up for sale, Bell told the Banner-Herald.
“The company that owns it had the note on the club for three years before they foreclosed on it,” he said. When he learned recently that Jennings Mill was for sale, Bell added, he began asking questions.
“I sold off some real-estate investment properties and starting meeting with bankers and put the deal together,” he said.
Bell, whose family started Bell’s Food Store in Athens, said he worked for the family enterprise until he was about 23 years old, then started out on his own, the Banner-Herald reported. During the past 20-plus years, he has been in the bar and nightclub business. He currently owns 9d’s Bar in downtown Athens.
Renovations to the golf course are planned, including replacing the putting greens and upgrading the tee boxes and driving range, Bell told the Banner-Herald.
He also plans to build an outdoor pavilion where the old clubhouse stood. The clubhouse burned in 2008 and was never replaced.
“It will take time to get the renovations done so people can see that things are changing,” Bell said. “We’re looking forward to attracting new members and getting the neighborhood people back involved. Less than 10 percent of the members live in the neighborhood here.”
C&RB reported last May on other recent improvements that the club had made, in particular to bolster its tennis program (http://clubandresortbusiness.com/2014/05/14/jennings-mill-cc-unveils-improvements/).
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