The first Tiger Woods design in the mountains begins construction for Marcella Club.
PARK CITY, UTAH: In the 1920s, over ten thousand miners flocked to Park City to make their fortune in the silver mines. Most went bust. By the 1930s, with silver prices depressed, the town withered and the population declined. In the 1950s, only 1,500 people called Park City home. Desperate to redefine the future of the area, officials were determined to transform it into a budding tourist destination known for its stellar wintertime conditions. The first ski run at Park City opened in 1963, followed by the opening of Deer Valley in 1981. It didn’t take long for the mountains to gain worldwide appeal, so much so that it hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics.
Now, at the base of the slopes of Deer Valley and the ridges overlooking Jordanelle Reservoir and the Heber Valley, something that will bring Park City to the next level is happening. Reef Capital Partners and Raintree Investment Corporation are bringing two different communities together that will bring Park City the most exclusive private club in the area. “Once complete, our projects will merge a luxury private ski community with access in and out of top-ranked Deer Valley Resort with a private golf community, set within a 10,000-acre outdoor playground with some of the greatest views in America,” explained Jared Lucero, CEO of Reef Capital Partners. “Park City has many great golf clubs, and a number of great ski clubs, but we will bring the highest level of experience from both to Marcella Club.”
A Roar in the Mountains
Marcella Club is a name you are going to be hearing a lot about in the coming years.
Membership will grant access to a 36-hole golf facility anchored by a Tiger Woods designed course (his first in the mountain west); an on-mountain lodge designed by world-famous architecture firm Olson Kundig with seamless ski connectivity into Deer Valley’s 2,000 acres of skiable terrain; Marcella on Main (a private dining, ski valet, and lodge on historic Main Street in Park City); 50 miles of hiking trails; and dock/boat access at the Jordanelle and Deer Creek Reservoirs. ™ꪪ
Talks with TGR Design started in earnest two years ago. “As we got to know the design team, the other golf course architects we were considering quickly dropped by the wayside,” recalled Lucero. “Not only does Tiger’s brand reflect the quality we are seeking in a private club, but Tiger has always enjoyed Park City. In fact, he has spent many ski seasons vacationing in Park City. Another benefit, unknown to us in the initial stages, was Tiger had already drafted a routing for a course on our amazing property years ago. In a nutshell, everything seemed to fit perfectly when we signed the agreement with Team Tiger.”
“The opportunity to bring a Tiger Woods design as the centerpiece to our master plan was once in a lifetime,” said Cody Winterton, president of Raintree Investment Corporation’s Utah and Nevada divisions. “The combination of Marcella at Jordanelle Ridge’s mountain top location with miles of uninterrupted views and beautiful natural topography makes it a perfect canvas for an iconic Tiger Woods design.”
Living Up to the Buildup
“I am fortunate with many design opportunities, but I’m extremely selective in which projects I take on,” discussed Tiger Woods. “Two key factors for me are being able to work with great partners on great properties. My team has built a superb relationship with our partners on Marcella. That said, I am thrilled about the location of this property. The canvas for my course is one of the most dramatic I’ve ever seen. It has ridgelines with some of the most stunning views in the world, valleys with amazing contours and topography, and groves of trees that allow me to use creativity to bring to life a golf experience that’s something special.
“Marcella Club has the components, with its ski-in/ski-out access to the world-class Deer Valley Ski Resort, diverse outdoor recreation across over 8,000 acres of undisturbed land, downtown Park City amenities, and convenience to Salt Lake International Airport, to be one of the most exciting new private clubs in America,” continued Woods.
“The vast majority of golfers shoot closer to 90 than 70, creating a significant impact on the philosophy as a golf designer,” explained Woods. “It’s my desire to create an enjoyable, extraordinary golf experience that brings people together. It is no easy feat, particularly in the mountains. My design team, led by Bryon Bell and Beau Welling, possesses nearly 100 years in the golf industry with global experience in all facets of golf course projects. Our blueprint is crafted in a thoughtful and deliberate manner to create a fun yet challenging test of golf while avoiding forced carries when possible. As a kid, I couldn’t hit the ball very far. That’s why I like to create areas to bounce the ball onto the green, which was often my only option.
“Every geography is different, and while our core tenets of designing visually interesting, playable, and stimulating courses for players of all abilities do not change, it is most important to let the land dictate most of what the course will become. So blending our core philosophy with the existing terrain and the desired experience is the most important thing for us in our course design. Our sport has enjoyed renewed interest across the country. The key is to keep the momentum going,” advised Woods. “My motivation is to create a course that will adapt to varying levels of play, bringing people together, and provide for multi-generational experiences. If the parents have a passion for golf, statistics favor their kids will have a passion as well.”
Pick Your Passion
While the emphasis for Marcella Club is on unparalleled golf and ski experiences, the culinary experience at Marcella Club has not been forgotten. “While some of our members may prefer skiing and others may prefer golf, everyone must eat,” teased Lucero. “So, I am pleased that Galen Zamarra, an award-winning James Beard chef, will oversee our food and beverage offerings.”
The focus of Marcella Club is the world-class golf, ski, outdoor and culinary experiences, but Lucero reminds us “that an amazing club is not successful without a world-class team. That is why we have brought on Ryan Kartchner and Beth Armstrong.” These two stalwarts in the Park City private club scene for close to two decades have been tabbed to lead Marcella Club.
“I’m typically a pragmatic thinker and take days mulling the benefits and risks of change,” said Beth Armstrong, managing director of Marcella Club. “When the opportunity presented itself to join the Marcella Club team, I immediately said yes. It just felt right. Marcella Club will be a golfer’s golf club designed from scratch by developers who love golf and bringing in the greatest golfer of all time, Tiger Woods, to anchor the facility.”
“The Park City/Deer Valley area is starving for great golf. Inventory is at record lows. While there are other fine clubs around, most have a waiting list to join and lack a true combined golf, culinary, and ski club experience,” added Ryan Kartchner, “There is no reason to compromise at Marcella Club. So if golf or skiing is your thing, we will offer the best of both worlds.”
For more information on membership and real estate opportunities, please visit MarcellaClub.com, or call (435) 222-0509.