Across-the-Board Appeal

Having a new place to take a meeting—either on-premise for members, or off-site for guests—is providing a breath of fresh air for Springfield (Va.) G&CC.

At Springfield (Va.) Golf & Country Club, business meetings are now at the top of the to-do list for membership and visitors alike. Thanks to a recently updated boardroom, the club is experiencing a boost in corporate business accommodations as it looks to serve an expanding clientele.

As part of a clubhouse-wide renovation that began in January 2019, the boardroom received a recent facelift that was undertaken “as a means of creating an updated, refreshed and modernized feel,” explains Communications Director Emily Kauffman. The enhanced space opened its doors in June 2019, and has since seen consistent usage from both the membership and area businesses.

Away from It All

Rather than being positioned front and center, the cozy boardroom is tucked away on the second floor of Springfield G&CC’s clubhouse, making it conducive for structured business meetings. (At the same time, it is easily accessible from the foyer via the main staircase or elevator.)

While outside guests can access the boardroom via the lobby, which overlooks the club’s high-ceiling sitting room, they/ are not permitted to visit members-only portions of the club, including the restaurant, bar and patio. “Members who use the space for meetings often invite their group to join them in the grill or on the patio for lunch, or for cocktails in the bar after their meeting concludes,” Kauffman notes.

As part of a slew of enhancements to the overall clubhouse design, management took a closer look at what could be maintained and what needed to be updated. “Our overall color palette was influenced by a rebranding project that began in the spring of 2016,” Kauffman says of the mixture of grays, whites and blues. The boardroom’s walls were given a fresh coat of paint in a shade of light gray with warm undertones, while carpeting is in a soft neutral tone.

Lighting remained essentially untouched. “We have overhead lights and large windows with white plantation shutters that allow the room to flood with light when guests want it, but also offer a lightless alternative that is perfect for on-screen presentations,” notes Kauffman.

With room for 10 to 30 people, non-members can take their meals in their boardroom or have a buffet set up in the lobby. Members are offered these same options, with the addition of holding a private luncheon downstairs in the member grill room. Those groups looking to host breakout sessions or team-building exercises can book separate space in either of the club’s two ballrooms, choosing from a smaller 30- to 60-person facility, or one that seats 200 guests.

Outside Interests

Since the club’s renovation, management has seen a noticeable uptick in corporate business events, with an average now of 5 to 10 meetings per month. While the club’s members do not have priority booking over outside guests, they do not have to pay a room rental fee.

One of the club’s more notable clients is Amazon Web Services, which started holding off-site meetings for its Springfield facility’s employees last December. “Most meetings include some form of [food-and-beverage service], from light refreshments to full-day catering,” says Jennifer Kazmi, Springfield G&CC’s Catering Director, citing an increased and ongoing revenue stream for the club.

While Springfield G&CC had originally planned to implement additional technical advancements, that project is now currently on hold until either the fall of 2020 or the following spring. Future enhancements will include updated audio capabilities, new LCD projectors and ceiling-mounted screens—all of which will entail increased rental fees.

For now, the club is content to bask in the glow emitted not by projection screens, but user love. “Members and clients have expressed how they feel their employees will appreciate getting out of their own buildings’ meeting rooms and conducting off-site meetings in such a beautiful facility,” says Kauffman.

Design Snapshot

Springfield Golf & Country Club
Springfield, Va.
Project: Updated boardroom as part of clubhouse-wide renovation
Designer: Contract Furniture Options, Bethesda, Md.
Carpeting: Masland
Paint: Benjamin Moore (Revere Pewter), Sherwin Williams