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Plus: FC Dallas in the playoffs and Dak Prescott's long-awaited return. But he couldnt play a full eighteen holes because much of the back nine was underneath the overflowing river. Eventually she started sobbing, and I was whisked off by the minder into a crowd of happier revelers. [5], In 2020 Warren acquired Castletown Cox house and estate in County Kilkenny, Ireland for 12.6m. Wild West-style complex in the area where Gen. John "Black Jack" Then, this summer the Lajitas resort declared bankruptcy, announcing some $15 million in debts and $500,000 a month in operating losses, and went on the auction block. But he insisted that his intention was little substantive change. (Id have liked to watch the baseball playoffs, but I blame TBS for that.) Still, Dennis struck me as an odd person to be championing the resorts willingness to act without a game plan. [23], In 2010, he bought the 3,500-acre BootJack Ranch near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, for $46.5 million. On Friday morning, after eating breakfast and making sure the The Big Bend is named for the vast curve of the Rio Grande in remote southwest Texas. [22] In 2012, press reports indicated he owned an estate on an island off the coast of Honduras. Smiths money was the safety net, the answer to every problem, be it the overall concept or everyday moves that didnt work out. Brings new meaning to the phrase Sunday Funday. http://www.dallasnews.com. empty and spiritual. Now", "Castles in the ire: the minted moguls snapping up Ireland's stately homes", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kelcy_Warren&oldid=1135081936, This page was last edited on 22 January 2023, at 14:53. And hell, thats the appeal!, Linda Walker, who has run the Lajitas Stables for more than twenty years, guiding horseback tours near the park and into Mexico, is not rich. The crowds would grow to three hundred people and still be going when Ivey showed up for work the next morning, when he would finally shoo folks away. Now $179 (Was $201) on Tripadvisor: Lajitas Golf Resort, Lajitas. But after about three quick drinks, she started talking about how the kids she grew up with all called her a traitor for working for Smith. But he also waves his cowboy hat over his head and yells yeehaw like Slim Pickens in Dr. Strangelove whenever he flies it into the Trans-Pecos. For According to Beasley, the monument is a gift. These days, Clay Henry can be found (stuffed) at Starlight Theatre in Terlingua, but Clay Henrys descendants continued to act as mayorat least until his grandson met a gnarly fate. A motel stood on the same land in the 1980s. Dallas most important news stories of the week, delivered to your inbox each Sunday. There are similar hotels available. It's a place where many have long come to get away from material excess We offer world class golf on our award Andbig bonus for ussome rooms are pet friendly. I even ran the rafting business out my back door, Ivey said. And he did sell plenty of beer, the most of any business in Brewster County, he estimates. Big Bend is a diverse region with endless possibilities for adventure and discovery. to come back with his 5-year-old son. Ms. Ryan said the area is like a space station, big and Still, in a larger sense the buyer and his intentions dont really matter. The Lajitas property continued to change hands and in 1949 was bought by Rex Ivey, Jr., who hand-dug a well and installed a generator for the areas first electric lights. The vision on the porch was of rooms priced at $150 a night and an RV park that is open to snowbirds, that will tolerate the occasional rattletrap trailer. Save. Tucked away in Southwest Texas between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend State Park lies the exquisite 27,000 acre Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa. "First let me shake your hand for asking that," Ms. Ryan said, The deal was complete, except for a few papers that remained to be A short time later, he returned on his jet and to Dallas. NewsMcClatchy-Tribune Regional News. Projects were undertaken with designs drawn over lunch on place mats. Warren's gift was the largest, giving him naming rights. The crossing was described as a smooth, rock bottom, and was best between Del Rio and El Paso. When I met him nearly two years later, he was thinking differently. Weve had the best year weve ever had, said Beasley. Lajitas resort avoids foreclosure with bankruptcy court filing. Im a sports expert and lover. The crossing, a smooth rock bottom all the way across the river, was the best between Del Rio and El Paso. I hope you have found some useful content on my site today. The three-hundred-yard walk to dinner that night was unlit and took me through a construction pit, and the meal for me and my friend at the gourmet Ocotillo was decent but blandthe venison chop, snapper filet, and rattlesnake cake all tasted like their sauce. At press time two weeks later, the various parties were still trying to hammer out an agreement, and the door was open for someone else to swoop in and snatch it up. Warren is chief executive officer and chairman of Energy Transfer Partners. One of the biggest selling points of Lajitas Golf Resort for many, though, is its location right next door to Big Bend Ranch State Park. In an area known for long drives to reach your destination, waking up just outside the park is a big benefit. Thats a huge mistake. The highest recorded temperature at the resort is 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Communities offer services, amenities, and entertainment. In 1916 the interruption of commerce by civil unrest in Mexico, and isolated bandit raids into the US brought Gen. John J. Pershings troops to Lajitas, where they established a small cavalry post to monitor this critical river crossing. It was neat and comfortable, but somewhere in the two rooms there should have been a desk, and the television should have provided a clear picture and more than nineteen channels. making money. McNairs group has invested millions of dollars into the resort making it one of the most luxurious and exclusive golf resorts in the world. See 1,059 traveler reviews, 860 candid photos, and great deals for Lajitas Golf Resort, ranked #1 of 1 hotel in Lajitas and rated 4 of 5 at Tripadvisor. Too many decisions were made in the creation of the new Lajitas by people who didnt seem to think very hard about what they were doing. From 1996 to 2000, he sat on the board of directors of Crosstex Energy. 750 North St.Paul St. Of all the wrongheaded moves made at the new Lajitas, it was the sanitization of the trading post that broke the most hearts. Some links in this post may be affiliate links. This indicates he was in the lowest 20% of billionaires rated. "In fact, I'd be shocked if there And Mischer wanted the place to be fun. His state-of-the-art gray water filtration system created a wetlands area on the golf course that, along with a 64-acre sanctuary on the river, brought birds to the region not commonly found in the desert. Nearly every living thing a desert dweller encountersbe it plant, bug, or beastis capable of drawing blood. I hear once a week or more, from people I dont even know, who tell me how much the trading post meant to them and how sad they are that its gone, he said. Copyright (c) 2007, The Dallas Morning News. 289 on the Forbes 400 list of the richest people in America, with an estimated net worth of $3.8 billion. Whats Up With All the Kangaroos on the Loose in Texas? He has Unincorporated community in Texas, United States, "Old Cemetery In Lajitas, Texas, A Tiny Town That Abuts Big Bend National Park In Southwestern Brewster County, On A Bluff Overlooking The Rio Grande River In The Northern Part Of The Chihuahuan Desert", "Mayor Clay Henry III: A Word About the Mayor", "Clay Henry - Famous Beer-Drinking Dead Goat", "LAJITAS, TEXAS (414950), Period of Record Monthly Climate Summary", "Lajitas Resort: Why you better go now - El Paso Inc.: Publishers Column", "Death: Frank Q. Dobbs, producer, director and writer for television and movies", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lajitas,_Texas&oldid=1140605444, Unincorporated communities in Brewster County, Texas, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Source: Western Regional Climate Center, Desert Research Institute, This page was last edited on 20 February 2023, at 21:47. lavished $100 million to turn the property into an exclusive refuge for Now, we all know people who wouldnt blink at a $33 breakfast. "Black Jacks Crossing", designed by PGA Hall of Fame golfer, Lanny Wadkins. ambition. Restaurant Manager; Facilities. ), 17 Epic East Texas Towns + Cities to Visit. When Steve Smith bought the remote Big Bend town of Lajitas in 2000, he dreamed of building a lush, five-star retreat that would attract the likes of Tiger Woods and Tom Cruise. Though it was appraised on the Brewster County tax rolls at $16 million, Smiths own investment in the place has reportedly been more than $100 million. Scott Beasley, whose company WSB Resorts and Clubs manages Lajitas among other businesses and properties, said he is committed to having the resort show a profit in 2017 - if not sooner. I was writing a story that would run in the May 2002 issue of Texas Monthly on Smiths vision for Lajitas: the creation of a world-class, five-star golf resort and an exclusive development for multimillion-dollar vacation homes. Warren also serves as chairman of the general partner of Energy Transfer Equity. According to Ivey, Mischer encouraged all this. Theres a light in peoples eyes in far West Texas, a joy that comes with living exactly where and how a person wants. In the early days of the expansion, a number of Smiths captains went into the Starlight Theatre in Terlingua for dinner. Admittedly the place was in bankruptcy, but it was still open and promising no drop in service. kitchen and outdoor shower -- the woman who says she doesn't have Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. Boardwalk Bakery and Pizzeria. [9] RECO invested $7 million on a wind farm that was scheduled for completion in 2017.[10]. Bridlie Hospitality, to operate the resort. The resort is currently owned by EPGolf LLC. in the spare beauty of borderlands. He restored the community in 1976 with his corporation's subsidiary, Arrow Development Company. Daniel Vaughn is the countrys first barbecue editor, and he has eaten more barbecue than you have. The party was large, maybe ten men and women, all drinking. state parks, Lajitas has long been one of the stranger outposts of the just about 9,000 residents and a per capita income of about $15,000. Theres a simple story of manners that gets retold on the porch when Lajitas is discussed. Due to the closing of the Terlingua quicksilver mines, the number of residents in Lajitas had dwindled to four. Always found it to be poorly maintained, with poor food service. At the time of the 2010 census, the population of Lajitas was 75. In 1977 Ivey sold part of the Lajitas area to Houston entrepreneur Walter M. Mischer, of Mischer Corporation; Mischer had begun development and restoration of the community in 1977, under the name of the corporations subsidiary, Arrow Development Company. Lajitas Golf Resort. He gave generously to local fire and EMS departments. McGuirk petitioned for it to be re-established when it was built sometime before 1901. Lajitas International Airport is a privately owned airport for the use of the resort's guests and property owners located 4 miles East of Lajitas and 14 miles West of Terlingua adjacent to Big Bend National Park. There was laughter from the table but not from the waitress. He started his career working for the Lone Star Gas Company. Bill grew up in that Lajitas, in the late fifties and sixties, attending school in Alpine but spending his weekends, holidays, and summers down by the river. Your County. And a federal judge approved the sale of Lajitas earlier this When Lajitass marketing team suggested that all the resort needed to take off was a visitor with A-list celebrity credentials, one Tom Cruise or Tiger Woods, Terlingua just laughed. Fast forward another few decades, though, and Lajitas, TX experienced a curious twist of fate: a corporation from Houston bought the entire town, restored most of the buildings, and turned it into a resort for golfers and visitors exploring Big Bend Country. It is speculated that Cabeza de Vaca crossed the Rio Grande at Lajitas around 1530, and it is almost certain that Antonio de Espejos party did in 1588. On the day of the wedding, after our adventure in. Accommodations run the range from convenient and comfortable to resort luxury. When I visited the Starlight in October, that waitress was still there. In The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, Pete and a coyote sit overlooking the Rio Grande near Lajitas. Its sad. Please be sure to check back frequently as this journey continues. Down in South County, where the economy desperately needs Lajitas to remain open, locals hoped that whoever bought the resort would scale back the dream, place it somewhere between the best plans of Mischers and Smiths. The resorts 250 workers made Lajitas the largest employer in South County, and it paid nearly 30 percent of the taxes for the schools in Terlingua. Order your test online and receive your donor/registration pass by email. And on the other side of the highway and a tall adobe wall, the Cavalry Post and La Questa rooms opened up onto a swimming pool lined with ristra-strung arbors and a view of Lajitas Mesa. His ambition grew ever more glorious by the day: eight hundred residential lots of two acres or less, some selling for as much as $1 million, undeveloped; two championship golf courses, not desert-style, with grass growing only on greens and tees, but with a lush wall-to-wall carpet that would need a million gallons of water a day to stay green in summer months; an RV park with $100,000 slips for $500,000 motor homes; a 36,000-square-foot spa; four fancy restaurants; an amphitheater seating three thousand; an equestrian center; a hunting club. The soul stays young, and that youth glows in the eyes, as lined as they may be. [4][5] The election included incumbent human mayor Tommy Steele, as well as a trading post wooden Indian named Kevin Zinter, and a dog named Buster. Lajitas, he hopes, may have another life yet. [2][3][6] From 1981 to 1992, he worked for Endevco. [2], Due to the remoteness of the resort, Lajitas is served by the Lajitas International Airport, a private airport with a 6,503ft (1,982m) concrete runway. The vision for a resort at Lajitas began in the late 1970s, West Texans Are Learning What It Means to Live in Bear Country. [20] He gave $1 million to Greg Abbott after the 2021 legislative session. Folks lolled in the shade, shot pool on a felt-free pool table on the porch, rolled dice in the corner, and fed quarters into a jukebox that Ivey stocked with Vicente Fernndez 45s that he bought on regular trips to Jurez. Ms. Ryan told Mr. Warren she remembers years ago when the bar Lajitas Golf Resort now offers regular charter jet flight services out of Dallas, Austin and Houston. The Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa is a 20,000-acre golf resort business in Lajitas owned by Texas businessman Kelcy Warren, who bought the resort from previous owner Steve Smith while the business was going through financial distress. She paints mandalas on old hubcaps to make a little Lajitas is an unincorporated community in Brewster County, Texas, United States, near the Big Bend National Park. Though the Lajitas Resort dominates much of Lajitas today, you can still find many remnants of the original town of Lajitas aroundoften restored by the resort. Located just east of Big Bend Ranch State Park, a visit to Lajitas, Texas may leave you wondering: is this a town or a resort? John Poindexter, the owner of Big Bends Cibolo Creek Ranch resort, was among the last to arrive and the last to leave. nine-hole golf course, in addition to the thousands of acres of She said, You guys are execs at Lajitas, arent you? When they acknowledged they were, she said, I cant wait to tell everybody what redneck assholes you are. The table went silent, and when she walked off, one of the guys followed her to the bar and asked her not to say anything. Leave them blank to get signed up. As an Amazon Associate, Lone Star Travel Guide earns from qualifying purchases. When. The Big Bend is not the kind of place you want to drive through and look out your window at, Ivey continued. Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa HC 70, Box 400, Lajitas, Big Bend National Park, TX 79852 +1 432-424-5000 Website Open now : 07:00 AM - 9:00 PM See all (62) Food Service Value Atmosphere Food and ambience Local cuisine, American, Southwestern . I was doctor, vet, lawyer, marriage counselor, pharmacist, and an importer of wax. been a thorn in the side of the community," Mr. Leslie said. Please see our, 15 Beautiful Hikes in Big Bend National Park, 7 Best Things to Do in Marathon, TX (+ Tips! Its a small section of the population that gets it out here, she said. It has been called America's weirdest golf resort, a spiritual [], To some drawing a golf flag may seem like a daunting task. A crossing into Mexico, closed years ago, once ferried tourists Im standing here on the putting green looking at it right now, Beasley said Friday morning. When I go down there now, all I see are a few workers, but theyre not allowed to talk to anybody. said. "Head out to the tee whenever y'all want," was the refrain from the golf shop on this idyllic, sunny Tuesday morning in April. Our 27,000 acre Texas resort is famous for its solitude, natural beauty and rugged desert environment. Lajitas is zoned to schools in the Terlingua Common School District. The course was designed by Lanny Wadkins. Local Lajitas, TX STD Testing Centers and CBC, Lipid, Hepatitis, Liver, Hemoglobin A1C, Hormone, Same Day Service, No Doctors Visit/No Insurance Required, All Wellness/Health Testing. Good, 21701 FM 170 Lajitas, Texas 79852 The resort was originally owned by oilman and entrepreneur Clayton Williams Jr. Williams purchased the property in 1983 and developed it into a golf resort. Find Lajitas Resorts and Resort Rentals. beer-guzzling goats and the legend of Pancho Villa could lure the He collects music memorabilia, and has a collection that includes autographs of Jackson Browne and drumsticks signed by the Eagles. About Lajitas Golf Resort. He received a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1978.[8][3][6]. Lajitas Golf Resort accepts credit cards. On the wooden boardwalk, guests checked in in the grand lobby of the elegant Badlands Hotel, which is decorated like a high-dollar Old West guest house. Faces age faster in the desert, the skin browning and creasing and toughening up in ways that city and suburban dwellers dont have to worry about. The general rides near the Texas-Mexico border. Ivey can speak to that loss with singular authority. Some links throughout this site are affiliate links. "She certainly has the coolest house," he said. I did nothing more than let it happen, and a real community is there now. When the mines in nearby Terlingua closed in the 1940s, though, Lajitas also became a ghost town, with an estimated population of 4. contact@lajitasgolfresort.com, 2014 Lajitas Golf Resort It then became a port of entry when several cattle ranches and mining enterprises appeared in Coahuila and Chihuahua in Mexico and increased commerce across the Rio Grande River. 1,059 reviews. "I'd be surprised if there are more than 10 people here," Mr. Whether you want to go horseback riding, golfing, hiking, or rafting on the Rio Grande, Lajitas Resort can put something together for you. Just beyond the far end of the boardwalk, a long, columned breezeway divided the dark, leather-bound Thirsty Goat Saloon and the glass-walled Candelilla Caf overlooking the golf course. Fast forward another few decades, though, and Lajitas, TX experienced a curious twist of fate: a corporation from Houston bought the entire town, restored most of the buildings, and turned it into a resort for golfers and visitors exploring Big Bend Country. By the early 80s, Lajitas on the Rio Grande had a 9 hole golf course, two lodging units, several condos, and was a local center of economic activity in Brewster County. Smith and a group of hastily scraped-together investors. Owner is the CEO of Energy Transfer. NYSE:ETP, By Paul Meyer, The Dallas Morning ), 7+ Great Girls Trips in Texas (Weekend Getaway Ideas! "Now I've got to go back to a different world," he said. Keep in mind that the second is a somewhat further drive due to the fact that youll need to take a roundabout route to get thereits not nearly as accessible as it looks on a map! the rich never came in large numbers. He even had employees ambush chartered busloads of seniors headed to his hotel, stopping their caravans on the highway and stealing their valuables. [21], Warren married the former Sherry Johnson on May 18, 1980, in Dallas, and they divorced in 1991. For groups of The community boomed when quicksilver was discovered 11 miles from the community at the end of the decade. But its a thin margin to begin with, and it just didnt play out for him., The idea that the desert could somehow be softened gets at a practical divide that would prove even wider. And the recollection of that night is one of the reasons there will be no pour-out on the porch for the death of Smiths vision. If youve visited the popular Terlingua Ghost Town, youve no doubt heard about the mercury mining boom that led to the towns explosion in population in the early 20th century. The round-trip drive to Alpine for big groceries is 190 miles. [5] old-world bar, 92 luxury rooms and Mayor Clay Henry, a beer-drinking Youre not prepared for what you get.. The trading post was that communitys heart, the hub for little villages on both sides of the river. But we also know that they expect more than Kelloggs and Minute Maid. Hitting golf balls can be frustrating and it often feels like youre never making any [], Do Golf Balls Float? This is a question that has been asked by many people and it is a very valid question. Beasley doesnt seem concerned about any controversy. By the mid-1980s, Lajitas became a resort town with 15 businesses serving 50 people. ", "It produced a feeling that no matter how nice the adornment, [7] Warren went to White Oak High School. Soon, they sat in an outdoor living room by the outdoor The store and saloon were operated by H.W. The biggest attractions that draw visitors to Lajitas, of course, are Big Bend Ranch State Park to the west and Big Bend National Park to the east. The border then seemed about forty miles wide and mixed like the sounds in a Doug Sahm song, half-Mexican, half-white, with nobody too worried about which half was which. McNairs group has continued to invest in the resort adding a new clubhouse and expanding the spa. These activities increased commerce across the Rio Grande into Texas; consequently, by 1900 Lajitas was designated a substation port of entry. It is located on a bluff overlooking the Rio Grande at San Carlos ford of the old Comanche Trail, in the northern part of the Chihuahuan Desert in southwestern Brewster County. He also funded the construction of a church and a school. The elevation of the course is 3500 feet. "It's the exclusivity. Nothing unusual about that or about the fact that a couple of the men were somewhat flirty with the waitress, an attractive young woman whod been living in the area for about a year. Other bidders dropped out early and headed for the elevators, including an eight-man team of blue-suited lawyers representing a hotelier, followed by a couple of South Texas hunting buddies with fat wallets in the back pockets of their Wranglers. [5] [24] He also owns an 8,000-acre ranch near Cherokee, Texas, [5] the 20,000-acre Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa in Lajitas, Texas, [25] and a private island near Roatn, Honduras.