Boulder City - The Magazine is a monthly publication full of information about Boulder City and Southern Nevada. Boulder City - The Magazine features the Boulder City Home Guide, a real estate guide to Boulder City and Southern Nevada.

Cover Story
by Ev Chase

Golf Boulder City
"If you build it, he will come." This philosophy not only applies to Kevin Costner's Field of Dreams, but also many facilities built around the country. Southern Nevada casinos attract millions of tourists. Here in our own back yard, Hoover Dam, built for its power and flood control, is a major attraction helping to pay its operational costs. While Boulder City's development in the early 1930's by the federal government was to house the builders of Hoover Dam, it turned into a legacy for the residents who remained. A legacy which has been the centerpiece of a political battleground since the city's formation.

When the Dam was completed and Uncle Sam wanted out, its bequest to the Boulder City citizens in 1960 transferred 33 square miles of property helping to guarantee a quality of life for the town's future - a quality of life governed by a controlled growth ordinance voted in by its citizens in 1974. In 1994 its citizens added another land sales ordinance to limit city growth.








Boulder City's most recent major addition to its quality of life, provided in part by that legacy of property, is Boulder Creek Golf Club. The embattled and controversial Boulder Creek, located on Veteran's Memorial Drive (first stoplight coming from Railroad Pass) offers a professional 27-hole golf course, club house, and restaurant, while providing entertainment and a challenge for serious as well as casual golfers.

The city's sizeable investment in the Boulder Creek Golf Club is expected to draw the attention of visitors who come to play golf, not only for the purpose of a round of golf, but also to take advantage of other attractions such as Hoover Dam and Boulder City's Old Town Historic Boulder Dam Hotel. Benefiting the Boulder City community, residential and business, is what the new golf course is all about - contributing to the City's quality of life. In addition, it will provide relief to the crowded greens and fairways of the popular 32-year-old Boulder City Municipal Golf Course.

"The golf courses have been one of my favorite subjects for a very long time," says popular Boulder City Mayor, Bob Ferraro. "I've been a major supporter of both courses, Municipal and Boulder Creek."

The newest of the two, Boulder Creek Golf Course, has created considerable controversy since its inception. Cost overruns and a poor golf course management selection added considerable problems.

"There was a lot of input from a lot of people, but unfortunately we as a city council selected a group who had no experience in running a Nevada golf course," says Ferarro.

The company was from San Diego, and as we desert rats know, our dry dirt is considerably different - and that problem was just for starters.

"It was totally different than they were used to," Ferarro continues. "They were accustomed to developing and promoting San Diego courses and as it turned out, it was a completely different situation."

The result, of course, was loss of money and backing out of contracts.

"Now that they're gone," Ferraro, says, "the City has taken over the operation of the course and I see major things happening at Boulder Creek. I think it's going to turn out to be an exceptional value for this community."

To help find that value and to move Boulder Creek forward, the City has placed Bob Conrad, Boulder City Municipal Golf Course Manager, in charge.

"Bob Conrad is a people person. He likes being around people. He makes them feel comfortable. That's exactly what you have to have for someone who is in that position," says Mayor Ferraro.

Visit Boulder City's excellent golf courses online at www.golfbouldercity.com

Looking Toward The Future
Bob Conrad certainly has something to say. He doesn't want to beat his own drum - but he should.

Tucked away for the past 11 years among the tree-lined fairways and meticulously manicured greens of the mature 32-year old Boulder City Municipal Golf Course, Conrad, former PGA member, golf course superintendent and golf course manager, may yet be the answer to the success of the fledgling Boulder Creek Golf Club and 27 hole golf course.

Sometimes we can't see the tee for the trees - and so be it with those who selected the first and unsuccessful manager of Boulder Creek Golf Course. In selecting one of our own, they have made a step in the right direction to populate the sparse fairways of the new course.

"I think what happened," says Conrad, who has taken over the management of the Boulder Creek Golf Club in addition to his duties at the Boulder City Municipal Golf Course, "is they (the former management company) lost their focus. They had a fairly good marketing campaign, but they didn't hit the right sources."

The right sources include areas much closer to home than the former marketing target, according to Conrad. Currently, Conrad is looking "just over the hill" for his success.

"The last management group directed their marketing toward California, Arizona, and Utah, and even advertised in magazines as far north as Washington and Oregon," Conrad says.

He also points out that within five or ten miles is Green Valley/Henderson and the 89123 zip code which is growing faster than any other zip code in the United States.

"That means we have a captive audience, and if the National Golf Foundation is true in their marketing, one out of every 10 persons moving into any area plays golf."

Considering that Henderson is the fastest growing mid-sized city in the nation, that's a bundle of golfers who should be heading our way.

"We have to provide incentive for them to play our course," he says. "Maybe once or twice. Once we get them here, the golf course itself will maintain its loyalty. They will like the course. The golf course is wonderful."

Conrad has a plan and our area offers the attractions. That's a combination that shouldn't fail. Who knows, if we're lucky, maybe we'll see Tin Cup Kevin Kostner on the links breaking all his clubs and playing the course with his putter.




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