NYSE:ETP, By Paul Meyer, The Dallas Morning When I met him for a quick lunch in Alpine in October, his memories of the old store grew the conversation to two hours. Smith and a group of hastily scraped-together investors. For those traditionally drawn to the place, whether they were rich or poor, comfort wasnt the major consideration. Yelp users havent asked any questions yet about Lajitas Golf Resort. he wants to put it more in touch with surrounding Brewster County, with He started his career working for the Lone Star Gas Company. 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. nine-hole golf course, in addition to the thousands of acres of And he managed to build and landscape some beautiful facilities. He also hosted monthly dances and impromptu barbecues, when conjunto bands, crossing back into Mexico after performing stateside quinceaeras, would stop in and play for free beer. McNairs group has continued to invest in the resort adding a new clubhouse and expanding the spa. 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. [5], In 2020, Forbes gave Warren its lowest score for philanthropy, a "1." and Mike Montgomery. [21], Warren married the former Sherry Johnson on May 18, 1980, in Dallas, and they divorced in 1991. McGuirk, who also helped manage the mining company in Terlingua and funded the construction of a church. NewsMcClatchy-Tribune Regional News. [12], Frank Q. Dobbs directed his first film, Enter the Devil, in Lajitas in 1972. She also had no way of knowing about the rest of the nights events. He also donated $103,000 to President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign. surrounding land that include an old mercury mining town and hunting travelers to these 25,000 acres of Chihuahuan desert on the fringes of It was closed temporarily in 1910, reopened in 1916, and closed permanently in 1939. Carmichael, California, United States. Whats Up With All the Kangaroos on the Loose in Texas? Please see our, 15 Beautiful Hikes in Big Bend National Park, 7 Best Things to Do in Marathon, TX (+ Tips! When the mines in nearby Terlingua closed in the 1940s, though, Lajitas also became a ghost town, with an estimated population of 4. What Im Watching: Dallas Mavericks Basketball. During droughts, people will live on water saved in rooftop rain-catchment systems, showering and flushing the toilet once a week. [10], The 90th Fighter Squadron of the United States Army Border Air Patrol had a sector that traveled to Lajitas from Eagle Pass. Lajitas resort avoids foreclosure with bankruptcy court filing. beer-guzzling goats and the legend of Pancho Villa could lure the Admittedly the place was in bankruptcy, but it was still open and promising no drop in service. [2][6] He served as executive vice-president Cornerstone Natural Gas from 1989 to 1990, and as president and CEO from 1993 to 1996. 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. [2][3] He serves on the advisory board of his alma mater, the University of Texas at Arlington. According to Ivey, Mischer encouraged all this. In the late 1890s quicksilver was discovered near Terlingua, eleven miles from Lajitas, and a rapid influx of people followed. "First let me shake your hand for asking that," Ms. Ryan said, Theres a simple story of manners that gets retold on the porch when Lajitas is discussed. She said the exclusivity of the resort was like It is at an altitude of 2,200 feet on a bluff overlooking the Rio Grande at the San Carlos ford of the old Comanche Trail, in the northern part of the Chihuahuan Desert and at the southern extreme of the Rocky Mountains. Since Clay Henry, goats have been mayors of the community ever since. No stranger rode into town with his checkbook in his teeth to run up the bidding and take the place over. to the community and about music. The resort features an 18-hole golf course a luxury hotel and a variety of amenities and activities for guests to enjoy. [2] He is a former co-chairman of Le Gp, OEC Compression. By then, consultants and friends had convinced Smith that the dream could be real, and toward that end he had already spent $40 million, which he estimated would be half of his ultimate outlay. signed. Big Bend is home to a few remarkable communities: Marathon, Study Butte, Terlingua Ghost Town, Lajitas, and Big Bend National Park. "I'm telling you. Had he really sprayed a compound on the ground in front of the Lajitas boardwalk that would keep dust from kicking up? "Lajitas" translates to "little flat rocks" in Spanish. A motel stood on the same land in the 1980s. After Hours Scheduling. And when he describes how he discovered a hole in a Lajitas urinal once upon a timeId had a few beers and went to take a leak, and my foot kept getting warmer, and I remembered I had my Birkenstocks on, and . He restored the community in 1976 with his corporation's subsidiary, Arrow Development Company. bankrupt resort and give Lajitas another life. Sticking to their goal to truly have everything, they even have an airport (the wifi on the resort, however, is questionable at best). . 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. Im a sports expert and lover. Was he actually planning on repopulating Big Bend with the superrich dust-averse? 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Yes the resort offers weddings and other special events. One part Texas frontier town, and one part golf resort, Lajitas is 100% pleasure. Who Owns Lajitas Golf Resort by Joshua|Published August 25, 2019 The Lajitas Golf Resort is a full-service golf resort and spa located in the Big Bend region of West Texas. To be fair, Smith did do some good. After dinner some of our group went back to the resort, but my tour guide on the trip, the Lajitas general manager whod been assigned to babysit me, wanted a nightcap. ), 11 Great RV Parks Near Big Bend National Park, 9 Otherworldly Things to Do in West Texas. It brings a satisfaction, not of beating the desert but of surviving it. So when you meet someone who lives in Terlingua or Study Butte or Lajitasthat area known in local shorthand as South Countyyou might not be able to tell if hes thirty or sixty. But the other reason for the difficulty in determining someones age out there cuts the other way. Ms. Ryan has squatted on the Lajitas property for 20 years, It was live-music night at La Kiva, the best of it played by a young female fiddle player from the Northeast whod put off grad school to take a job at Lajitas. people," Mr. Warren said from town, joined on the trip by business And everyone carried guns back then, but they knew to check them with me at the door or Id lose my beer license. Ivey shakes his head as he realizes that this wasnt that long ago. When. 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. We cater to a wide range of guests from celebrities to families and international . said. it made people feel nervous," she said. civilization. Patricia Sharpe writes a regular restaurant column, Pats Pick, for Texas Monthly. Lajitas Golf Resort is perfectly situated between the Big Bend National Park and the Big Bend State Park: it is the ultimate resort destination. 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. Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa 100 Main St, Terlingua, TX 79852 Hotel Amenities Property Details Built in 2003 101 rooms in 26 buildings Designated smoking areas Hotel Services Concierge and tour/ticket information 24-hour business center 6000 square feet of conference space Convenience store and gift shop Luggage storage Laundry facilities Yes there are several natural hot springs located on the resort property. [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 officially had a post office as early as 1901, but it did not become operational until McGuirk petitioned for its reestablishment in 1904. But its not the reason anyones coming out here, and thats why Im proud of it. Its minimum purchase price was $450,000. Whether you want to go horseback riding, golfing, hiking, or rafting on the Rio Grande, Lajitas Resort can put something together for you. When I met him nearly two years later, he was thinking differently. In 2000, when the property went up for auction, Mr. Smith Lajitas has a hot arid climate with very hot summers and mild winters. Then, this summer, after resort revenues failed to live up to the terms of the loan, the lender posted the property for foreclosure, and Lajitas filed for Chapter 11 protection. The general rides near the Texas-Mexico border. Still, when the sun sets each night, when the dry desert air turns gold and the clouds go from white to purple to orange to gone and a desert rat can put himself to sleep by counting stars, that hard life is worth it. ", "It produced a feeling that no matter how nice the adornment, People who drive out here have prepared themselves for the remoteness, said one stately desert spiritualist who asked not to be named. When I visited the Starlight in October, that waitress was still there. 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. Due to the closing of the Terlingua quicksilver mines, the number of residents in Lajitas had dwindled to four. The trading post was that communitys heart, the hub for little villages on both sides of the river. For groups of Lajitas General Store and Deli Thirsty Goat Saloon Pizza Menu Thirsty Goat Menu To make dinner reservations in The Candelilla restaurant, call 432-424-5032 Candelilla Cafe Offering an Interesting Twist on Traditional Tex Mex Cuisine Candelilla Caf Hours of Operation 7 am - 10 pm Daily Dallas Robert E. Lee Statue Has Landed at Black Jacks Crossing Near Terlingua. Additionally, there were no televisions, the latter a rarity among communities in the decade. ), 7+ Great Girls Trips in Texas (Weekend Getaway Ideas! (Id have liked to watch the baseball playoffs, but I blame TBS for that.) But there was insight to be gleaned in the law firms lobby. William H. Emory also visited Lajitas in 1852. 6 IMPORTANT TIPS FOR VISITING THE BIG BEND. The community was said to be "about the only place where you can shoot 360 degrees", since Santa Fe and Sedona were already used up. Dallas Robert E. Lee statue has a new home. Dallas sold the statue for $1.4 million in June after the City Council decided to auction it off. [18], Warren donated $6 million to Governor Rick Perry's presidential campaign. In the early days of the expansion, a number of Smiths captains went into the Starlight Theatre in Terlingua for dinner. 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. natural gas transportation company Energy Transfer Partners. When I visited it in August and October, the trading post was dead. They were then removed from the area by the Apache and Comanche tribes in the 18th and 19th centuries. old-world bar, 92 luxury rooms and Mayor Clay Henry, a beer-drinking Be aware that cell phones may inadvertently change to Mountain Time and cause you to be an hour behind schedule. "It didn't feel right. Anglo-Americans first arrived around the time of the Mexican war. across the river. If youre traveling on the cheap, that could make a funny story. Owner is the CEO of Energy Transfer. Theres a light in peoples eyes in far West Texas, a joy that comes with living exactly where and how a person wants. ocotillo plants. Make no mistake, desert life is hard, and the sacrifices required are made hourly. By the late 90s, Lajitas and its sister town, Paso Lajitas, Chihuahua, Mexico had over 200 inhabitants. Lajitas is mentioned extensively in Red Dirt/Texas Country artist Wade Bowen's song "Day of the Dead" recorded in October 2017. Wisely, he decided to move the party up the highway to what was then the only other bar near Terlingua, La Kiva. Review. Pamplin sold the resort in 2006 to a group of investors led by Texas businessman Bob McNair. These activities increased commerce across the Rio Grande into Texas; consequently, by 1900 Lajitas was designated a substation port of entry. [6], Warren purchased the Roatan Electric Company (RECO) in 2008, where he serves as president and chairman of the board. 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. newspaper, go to 1 (877) 525-4827. View 72 homes for sale in Lajitas, TX at a median listing home price of $89,000. And a federal judge approved the sale of Lajitas earlier this There are similar hotels available. Lajitas, he hopes, may have another life yet. Mr. Leslie on Friday Kelcy Lee Warren (born November 9, 1955)[1] is an American billionaire and the chairman and chief executive officer of Energy Transfer Partners.[2][3][4][5][6]. The wild spirit of the Big Bend region is in full effect at this stunning course whose name pays tribute to U.S. Army Gen. John "Black Jack . The lowest recorded temperature at the resort is 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Plus: FC Dallas in the playoffs and Dak Prescott's long-awaited return. Its previous owner, Austin multimillionaire Steve Smith, Unable to find her, Mr. Warren wandered about with a look of [22] In 2012, press reports indicated he owned an estate on an island off the coast of Honduras. Ms. Ryan told Mr. Warren she remembers years ago when the bar 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. Ivey would even get customers prescriptions filled on his weekly runs to Alpine. Dallas most important news stories of the week, delivered to your inbox each Sunday. Marlins David Tinsley has been a Lajitas weekender since falling in love with the region on his first river trip through Santa Elena Canyon, in 1974. In 2000, the town and surrounding 25,000 acres was sold at auction to Austin entrepreneur/developer Steve Smith, who completely remodeled the town, attempting to establish an exclusive high end resort for the jet set. The community boomed when quicksilver was discovered 11 miles from the community at the end of the decade. The people in Lajitas now know nothing about the place or its past at all. 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. ), 17 Epic East Texas Towns + Cities to Visit. fried steak instead of $50 steaks. 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. lavished $100 million to turn the property into an exclusive refuge for I even ran the rafting business out my back door, Ivey said. 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. 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. The woman, and, for that matter, all of Terlingua, was offended. Im standing here on the putting green looking at it right now, Beasley said Friday morning. It was mounted on a pediment in the middle of the golf courses putting green on Thursday, according to Scott Beasley, who manages the course for Dallas-based WSB Resorts and Clubs. H. W. McGuirk, the leading citizen of Lajitas from 1902 to 1917, operated the Lajitas Trading Post, farmed, and helped manage the Terlingua Mining Company. 10 or more click here, Traveler rating: 7.0 The first is the effect of the arid Big Bend environs, of the baking sun, beating winds, and unrelenting dust. 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. The 11th Bomb Squadron operated from Marfa Field along the Rio Grande to El Paso.[14]. She stared at him. February 2023 Reader Quiz: What Did You Learn? It is a nonprofit event to raise money for children's charities and local public service organizations. A crossing into Mexico, closed years ago, once ferried tourists Prior to the combination of the operations of ETP and Heritage Propane in 2004, Warren co-founded the entities that acquired and operated the midstream natural gas pipelines that were contributed in the merger. The auction itself was off-limits to the press, as lawyers for Lajitas worried that the presence of reporters would chill the bidding. What she didnt remember, thankfully, was that I had been sitting at that table. Dec. 22, 2007 - LAJITAS, Texas -- Not even $100 million, Locals speculated that he was struggling financially, and the monthly Big Bend Gazette reported that Lajitas was not the only Smith-related enterprise to recently declare bankruptcy. Lajitas is zoned to schools in the Terlingua Common School District. The resort is currently owned by a group of investors led by Bob McNair. Rooms cleans yes but lacking. And at that point, reconciling the deserts harshness and beauty is your problem. He gave her $100 more, then walked out of the place as if everything was fine. Lajitas Golf Resort now offers regular charter jet flight services out of Dallas, Austin and Houston. 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. Tucked away in Texas' historic Big Bend between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend State Park lies Lajitas Resort, the perfect setting Enjoy unlimited access to all of our incredible journalism, in print and digital. During sudden storms, their power will go out, and theyll be trapped wherever they are, the roads made impassable by flashing creeks trying to find the Rio Grande. He was also involved in a dispute with the IRS over $140 million in tax shelters. Our automated scheduling system is available 24/7. From 1996 to 2000, he sat on the board of directors of Crosstex Energy. The name comes from the bars design, a dug-out cave/mineshaft, and it has always had a more permissive atmosphere than the rest of the area. The latest auction of Lajitas was marked by considerably less drama than the last one. Voted #1 Most Beautiful Golf Course in Texas Golf Magazine [5] It's a place where many have long come to get away from material excess In The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, Pete and a coyote sit overlooking the Rio Grande near Lajitas. McGuirk sold his landholdings around Lajitas to Thomas V. Skaggs, who continued farming. kitchen and outdoor shower -- the woman who says she doesn't have [2] It is also located 95mi (153km) south of Alpine and 50mi (80km) east of Presidio.[7]. Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa 100 Main St, Terlingua, TX 8.2 Very Good 608 reviews How we verify reviews 10 - Excellent 273 8 - Good 206 6 - Okay 78 4 - Poor 39 2 - Terrible 12 8.7/10 Cleanliness 8.6/10 Staff & service 8.0/10 Amenities 8.0/10 Property conditions & facilities 8.2/10 Eco-friendliness 8/10 Good Christopher Jan 5, 2023 just about 9,000 residents and a per capita income of about $15,000. We offer world class golf on our award lighting up as if nobody had approached her like that in a long while. would have millionaires mixing with landscape workers and artists and 750 North St.Paul St. Aug 2018 - Present4 years 8 months. Built in 1912, it was just a beaten-up, dirt-floor adobe, with a front porch constructed of railroad ties and rails drug from Terlinguas languishing quicksilver mines, and shade provided from a willow-leaf awning held in place by goat-pen wire. With the border now closed, the trading post will never return to its Ivey-era glory. A Young as he was, that was surprising, so when he returned, I asked him how somebody with such a hard time getting around wound up in a job as physically demanding as carpentry. In an area known for long drives to reach your destination, waking up just outside the park is a big benefit. 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. Chip Gaines Bought Larry McMurtrys Historic Texas Bookstore. The Lajitas Golf Resort is a full-service golf resort and spa located in the Big Bend region of West Texas. 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. No spam, ever. 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. It can be quite a jolt. It was closed temporarily in 1910, reopened in 1916, and closed permanently in 1939. Sitemap. The store and saloon were operated by H.W. It is a wildly beautiful natural region, with a complex and fascinating history. The first white settlers came to the area in the mid-1800s. There was no plan at all, no directions from above. Rooms were scattered all over the grounds, along the boardwalk, on the golf course, and across Ranch Road 170, driving up operating costs. He received a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1978.[8][3][6]. multi-million-dollar wire transfer for the property was in order, Mr. 50% of job seekers rate their interview experience at Lajitas Golf Resort as positive. While few doubted that Smith genuinely loved the area, they saw no signs that he knew how hard it was to live there. He collects music memorabilia, and has a collection that includes autographs of Jackson Browne and drumsticks signed by the Eagles. "misery ground into the walls. If you get bitten by a rattlesnake, youll die. He bought a CD from her and promised Instead, a San Antonio law firm opened one of its large conference rooms to groups representing six would-be buyers, the interested and the curious. Smith believed that if he made it softer and more like other places, he could broaden the appeal. 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. The private owner is Addison-based attorney Ronald Holmes of Holmes Firm PC, a friend of the course who was down in Terlingua for Thursdays dedication. Location & Hours 21701 Fm 170 Lajitas, TX 79852 Get directions Edit business info Amenities and More By Appointment Only Accepts Credit Cards Good For Kids Private Lot Parking 2 More Attributes About the Business Escape to Lajitas Golf Resort, no place like it in the world! I hope you have found some useful content on my site today. In nearly every article on Lajitas that ran in the early Smith years, he gave some variant of a quote he gave to me. The old church in the community was restored, and the community grew to have three motels, a hotel, a restaurant, a golf course, a swimming pool, an RV park, and an airstrip. Reviewed October 12, 2021 Proper golf attire is required on the golf course and in the clubhouse. bankruptcy. I only had two rules: no fighting and no spitting, at least not in the store. If you talk to the people who live in South County, youll quickly sense the difference between them and the kinds of people Smith meant to attract, and it is not one of money but philosophy. "It's the exclusivity. His whole model was based on the idea that he could somehow tame the desert, refashion it to suit his plan, and it was just a matter of time before his vision became known as Smiths Folly. 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. In June 2003, Texas Golfer sent a writer to stay at Lajitas for what would be a cover story for the monthly magazine. View more hotels in Lajitas Now the owner has put a huge statue of Robert E Lee right on the golf course. A private buyer shipped it to a Lajitas golf course owned by oil and gas billionaire Kelcy Warren almost exactly two years since the Confederate . the Rio Grande. It has been called America's weirdest golf resort, a spiritual To support Lajitas Vision of being recognized by our customers as the "Friendliest Resort in Texas!" You should champion this culture in every touch point of our business from our associates, guests, owners, and communities. When I asked him what would happen if his dream didnt work, he said, Well, at least me and my friends will have a really nice golf course to play. (Smith declined to be interviewed for this article, and Texas Monthly happens to be one of his unsecured creditors, owed $35,000 for unpaid advertising.). making money. [], To some drawing a golf flag may seem like a daunting task. Born in Gladewater, Texas, Warren grew up in White Oak, Texas, the youngest of four sons of Hugh Brinson Warren and Bertie Lee Kirby. Lajitas Golf Resort. At first blush, its almost impossible to tell the age of a resident of south Brewster County, and there are two good reasons for that. [5] state parks, Lajitas has long been one of the stranger outposts of the In 1986 he sold his Huntsville-based restaurant chain, Tinsleys Chicken and Rolls, and made millions, and he used part of that haul to put a house on the river just upstream from Lajitas. [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. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. Instead, he paid dearly to learn an age-old lesson: The desert always wins. property, Mr. Warren plans a largely hands-off approach. Some other rich guy desiring a private playground.
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