John Poindexter, the owner of Big Bends Cibolo Creek Ranch resort, was among the last to arrive and the last to leave. lodge. The deal was complete, except for a few papers that remained to be , we came back to resort and spent time lounging in the pool. Sitemap. The high bid at days end was $13.5 million, but the bidder, who wished to remain anonymous, hadnt offered enough money to pay all the creditors, and no deal was reached. Lajitas Golf Resort is an unexpected and fascinating oasis in the middle of the vast desert that makes up much of Big Bend Countryand today, Lajitas Golf Resort is nearly simultaneous with the town of Lajitas, TX. 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. The soul stays young, and that youth glows in the eyes, as lined as they may be. Voted #4 Course You Can Play in Texas Golfweek Magazine. to the community and about music. [5], In 2020, Forbes gave Warren its lowest score for philanthropy, a "1." This indicates he was in the lowest 20% of billionaires rated. the handmade home of Collie Ryan. Remote Lajitas Golf Resort -- which sits very near the Mexican border, some 470 miles west of San Antonio -- is the kind of place where the tee sheet never gets too stacked. 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. "In fact, I'd be shocked if there It was closed temporarily in 1910, reopened in 1916, and closed permanently in 1939. The 11th Bomb Squadron operated from Marfa Field along the Rio Grande to El Paso.[14]. Opponents saw it as an attempt to rewrite history. 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. 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. 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 . Sure enough, the hotel struggled to maintain even 50 percent occupancy, and a mere five private homes went up in his subdivisions. The answer, as it turns out, is a little bit of both. That's who I want to be and I can't," he ), 7+ Great Girls Trips in Texas (Weekend Getaway Ideas! A skeet range was put in that had shooters firing over the bike trail. Daniel Vaughn is the countrys first barbecue editor, and he has eaten more barbecue than you have. However given [], 2023All Sports FAQAll rights reserved, Powered byWPDesigned with the Customizr theme. Ms. Ryan told Mr. Warren she remembers years ago when the bar 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. Warren also serves as chairman of the general partner of Energy Transfer Equity. [12] Before that, Lajitas had a school with 50 students in 1912. That determination will be made by the desert. Tucked away in Texas' historic Big Bend between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend State Park lies Lajitas Resort, the perfect setting Black Jack's Crossing About us. [19] People who drive out here have prepared themselves for the remoteness, said one stately desert spiritualist who asked not to be named. [9] "I want to walk into the bar and hear laughter and just see Dallas most important news stories of the week, delivered to your inbox each Sunday. 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. And the heat beats anything foretold in Revelation. It became Steve Smiths problem when he bought the town of Lajitas at a public auction in February 2000. Mr. Leslie on Friday 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. William H. Emory also visited Lajitas in 1852. Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. 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. I only had two rules: no fighting and no spitting, at least not in the store. City documents identified Holmes, but he hadnt hinted at what hed do with his new hunk of Alexander Phimister Proctor-made metal. In the summer of 2003, Smith opened a remodeled trading post complete with air-conditioning, indoor baos, and a wine-and-coffee bar. new chef has been hired to bring the restaurant things like chicken My first thought was, Id spend a million to spruce it up a little bit, he told the San Antonio Express-News shortly thereafter. 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. The Last Resort. In 2000, when the property went up for auction, Mr. Smith Pizzeria Attendant / Barista; F&B Management. NYSE:ETP, By Paul Meyer, The Dallas Morning Andbig bonus for ussome rooms are pet friendly. 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. If you fall off a cliff, you will die. [22] In 2012, press reports indicated he owned an estate on an island off the coast of Honduras. Columnar basalt that is similar to that of the Devils Postpile National Monument in California can be found in a high desert dry river falls area just north of Lajitas. Lajitas Texas activities designed to keep your family as busy as it wants to be. When I visited the Starlight in October, that waitress was still there. Projects were undertaken with designs drawn over lunch on place mats. in the spare beauty of borderlands. Proper golf attire is required on the golf course and in the clubhouse. There were weeks of discussion leading up to the 13-1 Council vote on September 5, 2017, ending with it being taken down and stored. Boardwalk Bakery and Pizzeria. 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. Its dangerous. 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. [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. According to my minder, it was a place where we could get away from the snobs at the Starlight. since 2003 and hopes to remove the exclusivity from the resort. Warren said Thursday looking about. retreat, an offense to the desert and a leading hotel of the world. said Thursday aboard his private jet, flying over the desert and Davis 6 IMPORTANT TIPS FOR VISITING THE BIG BEND. 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 . ocotillo plants. On the day of the wedding, after our adventure in. But he insisted that his intention was little substantive change. In Rexs time Lajitas consisted of the trading post and an old cavalry post that was used as a hunting lodge, and Rex met Mischer when he came out for deer and dove hunts. And the beauty of that, as it related to Steve Smith, was the free rein Dennis had been given to create whatever he wanted. in denim with a pink bandana around her neck and gray hair loosely And when I tried to pull open my window, the knob should not have come off in my hand. It's a quick trip to Terlingua for other dining options, although we had breakfast at, The morning of our second day we explored the. Its minimum purchase price was $450,000. Bill Ivey owns the Ghost Town at Terlingua now, but he ran the trading post through the eighties. As he walked off I noticed that he was stooped and relying on a cane. 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]. But the place could be friendlier to residents on this side of the river. 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. Lajitas officially had a post office as early as 1901, but it did not become operational until McGuirk petitioned for its reestablishment in 1904. They were then removed from the area by the Apache and Comanche tribes in the 18th and 19th centuries. 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. In mid-October, Lajitas was back up for sale. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. They talked about reopening the border crossing, reaching out He gave her $100 more, then walked out of the place as if everything was fine. Located on the border of the U.S. and Mexico, Lajitas sprung up to accommodate the increased border crossings thanks to the nearby mines, and was complete with a customs house, a school, a church, and a post office (which operated until 1939). The Lajitas Golf Resort is a full-service golf resort and spa located in the Big Bend region of West Texas. 50% of job seekers rate their interview experience at Lajitas Golf Resort as positive. 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. lighting up as if nobody had approached her like that in a long while. Admittedly the place was in bankruptcy, but it was still open and promising no drop in service. As an Amazon Associate, Lone Star Travel Guide earns from qualifying purchases. 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! 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. 1,059 reviews. On the Wide Plains West of Lubbock, a Chainsaw Carver Works From an Old Cotton Gin, Texas Lege Watch: A House Republican Fights for Chicken Freedom, Family Memories Echo Through an East Texas Shoe Shop, Texas Monthly Recognized by ASME in the 2023 National Magazine Awards, Our Guide to Johnson City, Where You Can Stroll to Wineries and Museums. McGuirk, who also helped manage the mining company in Terlingua and funded the construction of a church. [1] His father worked as a field hand for Sun Pipeline, a company now owned by Warren. 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. Every facet of life in that trading post was filled with spirit, Ivey said. "It didn't feel right. [2][6] He served as executive vice-president Cornerstone Natural Gas from 1989 to 1990, and as president and CEO from 1993 to 1996. It brings a satisfaction, not of beating the desert but of surviving it. 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. 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. 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. Can College Sports Get More Absurd Than SMU Joining the Pac-12? If you fill out the first name, last name, or agree to terms fields, you will NOT be added to the newsletter list. 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. Still, in a larger sense the buyer and his intentions dont really matter. The decision-making rule of thumb so popular in modern businessthat managers should ask for forgiveness, not permissionwas taken to its untenable extreme. 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. It looked much the same when Ivey took over the trading post in 1980. Guests can cancel their reservations up to 72 hours prior to arrival for a full refund. Brings new meaning to the phrase Sunday Funday. "I still think it could be something special," the 52-year-old For Sales Info, Contact: Scott Beasley 214-981-0758 Welcome To LAJITAS GOLF RESORT Lajitas Golf Resort in Lajitas, Texas Tucked away in Texas' historic Big Bend between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend State Park lies Lajitas Resort, the perfect setting for your away-from-it-all adventure. 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 He restored the community in 1976 with his corporation's subsidiary, Arrow Development Company. They should be selling its history and its culture. Megan's Dog Adventures. Front Desk: (432) 424-5000 multi-million-dollar wire transfer for the property was in order, Mr. Only a few home sites ever sold. No spam, ever. [11], In 2022, he ranked No. [2], Starting in the 1980s as a joke, for many years the purported mayor of Lajitas was Clay Henry III, a "beer-drinking" goat. 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. The resort's unique destination is rich in Old West history. Double check when in the area for the correct local time when visiting. (Id have liked to watch the baseball playoffs, but I blame TBS for that.) 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. 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. ", "It produced a feeling that no matter how nice the adornment, Whats Up With All the Kangaroos on the Loose in Texas? goat. Beautiful views yes. Any idea Dennis came up with was worth a try. When he decided to sell, Smith, a 54-year-old Austin-based telecommunications tycoon, showed up unannounced and unknown, stepping out of his helicopter just before the auction began to buy Lajitas on a whim for $4.25 million. Of all the wrongheaded moves made at the new Lajitas, it was the sanitization of the trading post that broke the most hearts. Enjoy unlimited access to all of our incredible journalism, in print and digital. slashed prices on the hotel rooms and began charging $29 a night at the 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. There was, in fact, a large contingent of resort employees in La Kiva that night, all of them transplants from around the United States but for one young woman who had grown up in the area. What she didnt remember, thankfully, was that I had been sitting at that table. the rich, with an 18-hole bentgrass golf course, upscale restaurants, 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. But the desert has always had a way of withering material There was laughter from the table but not from the waitress. [2][3][6] From 1981 to 1992, he worked for Endevco. Yelp users havent asked any questions yet about. 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. Skaggs also became successful in a candelilla wax business, the Lajitas Wax Company. Smiths money was the safety net, the answer to every problem, be it the overall concept or everyday moves that didnt work out. been a thorn in the side of the community," Mr. Leslie said. 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. There was no plan at all, no directions from above. And Mischer wanted the place to be fun. profit. making money. As youre exploring Big Bend Country, theres a good chance youll find yourself passing through the blink-and-youll-miss-it town of Lajitas. 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. Copyright 2016 (c) | VisitBigBend.com | All Rights Reserved | Brought to you by the Brewster County Tourism Council |. But back on the road, he was still thinking about the woman. The Big Bend area is in Central Standard Time. View more hotels in Lajitas Now the owner has put a huge statue of Robert E Lee right on the golf course. If you click through a link on Lone Star Travel Guide, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. 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 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 Mike Montgomery. No stranger rode into town with his checkbook in his teeth to run up the bidding and take the place over. At the same time a number of cattle ranches and mining enterprises appeared in northern Chihuahua and Coahuila. And there was one other significant problem. [9] It is located on the Rio Grande, bordering Mexico,[10] between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park. White Oak who also has a record label, has owned a home in Lajitas Your County. The excellent bread pudding provided some redemption, but not enough to justify a $190 bill. [2][3][4][6] He has been the co-chairman and co-CEO of Energy Transfer Partners since 2007. A bankruptcy judge in San Antonio opened a three-month window for Lajitas to acquire new financing, but Smith, who by all accounts was still in love with the area, was unable to pull it off. 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. "Head out to the tee whenever y'all want," was the refrain from the golf shop on this idyllic, sunny Tuesday morning in April. Hundreds of trees, including pears and plums that had no business being in the desert, were ordered before there was a plan to plant them and then planted before there was a way to water them. Thats a huge mistake. The name Lajitas is Spanish for little flat rocks and refers to the Boquillas limestone of the area. [2][3] He serves on the advisory board of his alma mater, the University of Texas at Arlington. To be fair, Smith did do some good. When I visited it in August and October, the trading post was dead. models. But the desert has always had a way of withering material ambition. reprints, email [emailprotected], call 800-374-7985 or 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. Lajitas is mentioned extensively in Red Dirt/Texas Country artist Wade Bowen's song "Day of the Dead" recorded in October 2017. He even had employees ambush chartered busloads of seniors headed to his hotel, stopping their caravans on the highway and stealing their valuables. Communities offer services, amenities, and entertainment. Asian money. That party is over. If it didnt work out, Smith would just hire somebody else to start over. The Lajitas Museum, which contained artifacts from the Big Bend area, was located just east of Lajitas. But we also know that they expect more than Kelloggs and Minute Maid. [9] RECO invested $7 million on a wind farm that was scheduled for completion in 2017.[10]. Dallas' Robert E. Lee statue has a new home. See pricing and listing details of Lajitas real estate for sale. I have stayed here several times before I knew who the owner was. Please be sure to check back frequently as this journey continues. 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. [5] Lajitas has a hot arid climate with very hot summers and mild winters. Its previous owner, Austin multimillionaire Steve Smith, lavished $100 million to turn the property into an exclusive refuge for the rich, with an 18-hole bentgrass golf course, upscale restaurants, old-world bar, 92 luxury rooms and Mayor Clay Henry, a beer-drinking goat. A variety of guided outdoor activities are available. [10], The 90th Fighter Squadron of the United States Army Border Air Patrol had a sector that traveled to Lajitas from Eagle Pass. "What should we do here, Collie?" with a $4.2 million bid. was Mr. Warren's first 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. [email protected], 2014 Lajitas Golf Resort The outing had been arranged in part to show me the way the new folks in Lajitas were being accepted in the community. [21], Warren married the former Sherry Johnson on May 18, 1980, in Dallas, and they divorced in 1991. [8], He lives in Preston Hollow, Dallas[5] on an 8+ acre estate on Park Lane valued at more than $30 million. Here, youll find everything from the award-winning golf course to the unassuming general store, from several restaurants to heaps of excursions, that make up many of the best things to do in Lajitas, Texas. You could get a six-pack of beer or a spark plug for a live chicken. The Big Bend is not the kind of place you want to drive through and look out your window at, Ivey continued. 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. A post office was established at Lajitas in 1904 and remained in operation until 1939. fried steak instead of $50 steaks. 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. would have millionaires mixing with landscape workers and artists and It is a wildly beautiful natural region, with a complex and fascinating history. [11] The Robert E. Lee on Traveller statue is on display at the resort. The store itself was stacked deep with every conceivable necessity, from bulk beans and flour to appliances, auto parts, clothes, and ranch supplies. empty and spiritual. The contraband would be returned at a reception when they arrived. I had been down in South County reporting for that story on the new Lajitas (and in my defense, Id not participated in the pool). The Big Bend is named for the vast curve of the Rio Grande in remote southwest Texas. One part Texas frontier town, and one part golf resort, Lajitas is 100% pleasure. He said his condition was a recent development. But instead of a big Spanish villa, he built a modest, 1,800-square-foot cottage with an outdoor fireplace. Her answer: No dice. At the end of the meal, he tipped her $50. 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. kitchen and outdoor shower -- the woman who says she doesn't have Please see our, 15 Beautiful Hikes in Big Bend National Park, 7 Best Things to Do in Marathon, TX (+ Tips! 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. money and support her songwriting. To see more of The Dallas Morning News, or to subscribe to the I was doctor, vet, lawyer, marriage counselor, pharmacist, and an importer of wax.
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