The Fort Smith, Ark. club looked to have an uncertain future after exploring a sale to a local developer. But in a letter to members, a co-owner admitted that was a mistake and said it was time to “stand up and shake off the dust.” Gary Carmack, previously the club’s Director of Financial Services, was named the new General Manager, replacing the other co-owner who had served in that role but is now on medical leave.

While the future of Fianna Hills Country Club in Fort Smith, Ark. looked uncertain earlier in May, officials with the club have confirmed to members that the club will remain open despite claims that it was possibly within months of closing its doors, The City Wire of Fort Smith reported.

In a letter to club members, the country club’s co-owner, David Mille, said efforts last year to sell the club to businessman Lance Beaty’s Fort Smith-based FSM Redevelopment Partners was not the right move, The City Wire reported.

“[Co-owner] Jim [Shields] and I thought we were doing the best thing for our families and the right thing for Fianna with introduction of the Lance Beaty group and a potential sale of the club,” Mille wrote in his letter to members. “We learned we were wrong. I want to sincerely apologize for the angst, uncertainty and confusion that occurred as a result.”

Beaty’s plan had called for building a $20 million structure on the former club’s footprint that would have included guest suites, a medical concierge service, as well as other amenities, The City Wire reported. As the proposal snaked its way through its initial unveiling to club members, neighborhood residents and eventually the Fort Smith Planning Commission, a petition began circulating through the neighborhood opposing the idea of the club being included in a planned zoning district (PZD) approved by the commission. Beaty eventually pulled out of the project before the PZD was to go before a full vote of the Fort Smith Board of Directors.

In his letter to club members, Mille said it was time “to stand up, shake off the dust, and move forward toward making Fianna [Hills] the best club on the [Arkansas-Oklahoma] border and in the River Valley,” The City Wire reported. As part of that effort, club members will see new management in Gary Carmark, previously Fianna Hills CC’s Director of Financial Services, who has accepted the General Manager role in place of Shields, who recently underwent surgery for a brain tumor and is still on medical leave.

Carmark told The City Wire on May 27 that his acceptance of the position at Fianna Hills was part of keeping the club open for the long term, and went so far as to say that unless he is “in my grave,” the club would not close. As part of keeping the club open and attracting new membership, previous dues increases imposed on members have been reversed, he added.

“The dues increase they have done, I haven taken [them] off and it has gone back to what it normally was,” Carmack told The City Wire. While that may cost Fianna Hills money in the short term, but it was part of a longer-term strategy, he added.

“It costs us some money, but if we can get some members that dropped because of it or some new members, then we’ll be back where we were without the dues increase,” Carmack said.

Asked by The City Wire what the dues currently are or what the difference in monthly rates were following the change, Carmark declined to provide that information, citing the competition that Fianna Hills faces with other clubs in the region.

Either way, he said, it was likely Mille would have to help the club out financially in some way, by injecting his own money to keep it going, at least in the short term.

“As far as investment goes, I’m sure that Dave is still going to have do some investing in it himself,” Carmark told The City Wire. “But what we plan to do is grow this through [increases in the number of members], basically the way it was running before.”

And while Carmark said the club is open for the long term, that does not mean Mille and Shields will not entertain offers from potential buyers, The City Wire reported, although Carmark added that no offers beyond the one from Beaty have materialized beyond initial talks.

“I’m sure as businessmen, they’ll have to at least entertain what [others] have to offer,” Carmark said. “But that doesn’t mean anything [would be built on the site] but a country club, no matter what.”

Shields told The City Wire in April that he and Mille had two interested parties that had approached them about a sale of the club, though he said at the time that no formal offers have been made. One of those interested in a purchase, he said, was a private investor who became interested in the project after Beaty’s plans began to receive attention throughout the community.

The other group is member-led, The City Wire reported, though Shields said at the time it was a different group than that being formed by Kevin and Lisa Clay, who helped start the petition that received more than 250 signatures that asked the Board of Directors to limit uses within the PZD.

Carmark told The City Wire on May 27 that to his knowledge, the only member-led group to express interest was Clay’s. The City Wire reported that Clay did not respond to a request for comment.

While Beaty, along with business partner Dr. Stephen Nelson, eventually backed away from their plan to revamp the club, Beaty told The City Wire that he wishes success for Mille and the Fianna Hills staff.

“Look, it was a deal we were really interested in,” he said. “We’re both local residents and we had hoped we could make it a viable business. In the final analysis, the property had not made money in the previous four years, and we were not willing to speculate that we could change the trajectory. It was a risk-benefit analysis and it simply didn’t work for us.

“They’ve got a committed staff that has proven themselves over a period of time,” Beaty added. “I wish Jim and David the best of luck, and I consider them both friends.”

The City Wire also published the full text of Mille’s letter to Fianna Hills members:

Dear Members,

It is with a humble heart yet renewed spirit that I am writing this letter. The last few months have been trying to say the least. I have learned more about this club, its dedicated staff and its members than I ever could have imagined.

Jim and I thought we were doing the best thing for our families and the right thing for Fianna with the introduction of the Lance Beaty group and a potential sale of the club. We learned we were wrong. I want to sincerely apologize for the angst, uncertainty and confusion that occurred as a result. The time has come to stand up, shake off the dust, and move forward toward making Fianna the best club on the border and in the River Valley.

I am requesting your patience and prayers as we move forward with some changes. Our president, Jim Shields, has developed a brain tumor and will be on medical leave indefinitely. Please keep Jim and his family in your prayers during this time. Gary Carmark has graciously stepped in as the General Manager. Gary brings strong financial leadership skills to the table. The staff is excited about his return as am I.

Other changes you will see is an increase in activities for the youngsters as we kick off our summer program. We listed to the requests and suggestions for the revamped cabana and I am (pleased) to announce it is now the proud home to a snow cone machine! I am also aware that the most recent dues increase has caused some discomfort to the point that we have lost members. Please rest assured that we are researching our current dues structure and significant consideration will be given to our findings.

Many of you have come to the staff and me indicating a desire to help us move in a positive direction. I truly appreciate your desire and would love to take you up on your offer. There are two things that will be significant to help the club. First, please utilize the club as much as possible. Join us for golf, tennis or a meal but also consider scheduling your birthday parties and baby showers here. Second, we need to increase our membership base. Please invite your friends to come visit our club and consider joining. Also, let those members who have left know that changes are in the works and we would appreciate their return.

I want to thank each and every one of you for your support and loyalty during this time. Please stay with us and experience the resurgence of The Fianna Hills Country Club.

Very sincerely,

Dave Mille