Mel & Terri Graham, owners of the private club in Charlotte, N.C., have decided to sell the property to Concert Golf. The centerpiece of a gated community, The Club at Longview includes a Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course, a 25,000-sq. ft. manor-style clubhouse, and a 10,000-sq. ft. Activity Center with pools, fitness facilities, and tennis courts, along with specialty spa services and personal fitness training. The property will now receive multimillion-dollar capital improvements in the coming years, according to Concert Golf, and commitments to the club’s legacy members will be honored.
Concert Golf Partners has acquired The Club at Longview in Charlotte, N.C. from Mel & Terri Graham. The property will receive a fresh multimillion-dollar capital improvement program from Concert Golf in the coming years, while commitments to the club’s legacy members will be honored.
Back in the 1800s, the property was first known as The Longview Black Jack Farm. In 1953, Mel Graham’s father (brother of the Reverend Billy Graham) purchased the property in order to relocate the family dairy farm.
In 2001, the beginning of The Club at Longview was put into action. As Jack Nicklaus stood on the property and looked at the gentle rolling hills with its pines and hardwoods, its creeks, ponds and nature preserves, he said, “It’s as if it was always meant to be the home of a great golf course.”
Longview now boasts a top-ranked Nicklaus Signature golf course laid out over 160 acres, along with an expansive practice range and three separate putting and chipping areas.
Longview’s manor-style clubhouse is more than 25,000 sq. ft. and includes a wine room, bar and lounge, and elegant main dining room. The 10,000 sq. ft. Activity Center includes pools, fitness facilities, and tennis courts, along with specialty spa services and personal fitness training. The upper floor Youth Lodge includes a movie theater and areas designed for young children.
Built in five phases, there are 320 residences in the gated Longview community.
Mel Graham recently addressed his members.
“Concert Golf is an extraordinarily well-capitalized firm with a strong, consistent track record and has agreed to meet all of my expectations regarding our club staff and my commitment to premier golf course conditions and club operations,” he said.
Mel Graham vetted Concert Golf and several other groups who had expressed interest in acquiring the club.
“The primary concerns most owners have when considering an ownership change is: staff continuity and retention, maintaining operational excellence, and retaining the club’s unique identity and culture … our goal is to preserve and enhance what the Graham family has built over the past several decades here at Longview,” said Peter Nanula, CEO of Concert Golf. “The family legacy will be honored in the spectacular clubhouse, and their vision for the club will be our vision – the premier lifestyle Club in Charlotte, with new, exciting offerings for the entire family.”
As with many developers of golf communities, Graham long considered the right time and manner in which to exit his day-to-day responsibility for the club once the majority of the residences had been built.
“As the developer of many other golf properties, I know all the leading golf companies and they all contacted me about Longview,” Graham said.
While there was no imminent need to make a transition, as Longview was debt-free and 2021 has been a record year for the club, Graham seized the opportunity to capitalize on the strong momentum that has benefitted nearly all clubs these past 18 months.
“Longview is very special to me in many ways but most importantly it’s going to be our personal home as well … so I will remain as a partner to ensure consistency, quality, history and knowledge of the club as the original founder and continue to provide direction and vision for the future,” Graham said.
Tell Us What You Think!
You must be logged in to post a comment.