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The Giant's Causeway is the most popular tourist attraction in Northern Ireland. For those that have never seen or heard of it, it is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. It is quite a sight! And we are very lucky to have it in close proximity to my house (about 25 mins).
So it was announced today that plans have been given the go-ahead to develop a £100m golf complex very close to the site. Bushmill Dunes will comprise of a championship course (which new course these days is not a championship course!) as well as a 5 star hotel and ~70 condos. It is planning to target the high-end market, specifically American golfers who come to Ireland to play Royal Portrush, Portstewart etc. It will be a 15 min drive from Royal Portrush.
It is aiming to be a Top 50 course in the World and will probably succeed, but there has been a lot of local opporsition to planning. Sure it will bring ~350 much need jobs, and additional revenue to the area, but at a suspected $200 green fee, it is not really going to be accessable by the majority of local residents. The complex will have its own retail units, resturants, bars etc. so again locals are saying "where's the benefit for us?" The reaction is that it will detract from the World Heritage Site (possible overdevelopment) and in the current economic recession it may become a white elephant.
So it is private investor money on a pure profit play. There has already been a lot of negative feedback to the press commment today that the developer quoted "it is one of the most beautiful, natural stretches of land that was 'destined' to be a golf resort?" Yeah right!
So I have mixed views on it. Yes, it will undoubtedly be a majestic course, but at that green fee, it is unliklely I will ever play it but a couple of times. My part of the world undoubtedly needs a good 5 star hotel, but the positioning / locatiuon is quite contraversal. I'm sure this will run and run.
Anyway, what do you think?
So it was announced today that plans have been given the go-ahead to develop a £100m golf complex very close to the site. Bushmill Dunes will comprise of a championship course (which new course these days is not a championship course!) as well as a 5 star hotel and ~70 condos. It is planning to target the high-end market, specifically American golfers who come to Ireland to play Royal Portrush, Portstewart etc. It will be a 15 min drive from Royal Portrush.
It is aiming to be a Top 50 course in the World and will probably succeed, but there has been a lot of local opporsition to planning. Sure it will bring ~350 much need jobs, and additional revenue to the area, but at a suspected $200 green fee, it is not really going to be accessable by the majority of local residents. The complex will have its own retail units, resturants, bars etc. so again locals are saying "where's the benefit for us?" The reaction is that it will detract from the World Heritage Site (possible overdevelopment) and in the current economic recession it may become a white elephant.
So it is private investor money on a pure profit play. There has already been a lot of negative feedback to the press commment today that the developer quoted "it is one of the most beautiful, natural stretches of land that was 'destined' to be a golf resort?" Yeah right!
So I have mixed views on it. Yes, it will undoubtedly be a majestic course, but at that green fee, it is unliklely I will ever play it but a couple of times. My part of the world undoubtedly needs a good 5 star hotel, but the positioning / locatiuon is quite contraversal. I'm sure this will run and run.
Anyway, what do you think?
