Centerville’s Yankee Trace costs climb, upscale golf club work delayed

Credit: NICK BLIZZARD/STAFF

Credit: NICK BLIZZARD/STAFF

CENTERVILLE — The cost of the last part of The Golf Club at Yankee Trace’s renovation is expected to top $2 million and be delayed until at least late next year.

Early projections of Phase III of the first significant clubhouse renovation of Centerville’s 26-year-old upscale facility were targeted at more than $1 million and tentatively set to start this fall.

Now estimates on the final part of work to expand entertainment facilities are in the $2.3-million range with construction occurring in the fall of 2022 or early 2023, city officials said.

The 150-acre site, which has been valued at $25 million, is “a significant investment that we believe is important,” and “we wanted to take our time and do this right,” Centerville Communications Director Kate Bostdorff said.

Earlier figures were based on “a broad estimate for construction of the patio expansion alone,” she said.

The added costs by city contractor MODA4 Design reflects rising material costs, Bostdorff said. They also include changes such as widening a cart path, new furniture and fixtures, and replacing aging patio concrete.

The first two phases focusing on the main area of the clubhouse totaled about $706,000, according to the city. Earlier figures projected the cost of all three phases at about $1.8 million.

Based on internal calculations, Centerville officials “think we’ll recoup the expenses as early as 2026-2027,” Bostdorff said.

Upon completion, the renovation will make the clubhouse’s first floor 16,477 square feet by adding 1,913 square feet. The patio will grow from 5,656 to 7,973 square feet, Centerville officials said.

The final phase will involve renovating and expanding the patio, working on the cart path to make room for the patio and adding an indoor/outdoor bar area, Bostdorff said.

The entire renovation, which began about a year ago, is designed to appeal to a wider variety of events, including weddings, business forums and holiday parties, Centerville officials have said.

The project’s next phase will also include enclosing part of the patio to help Yankee Trace host more than one event at a time, Bostdorff said.

Expanding the patio and enclosing part of it will increase the entire facility’s “functionality,” said Yankee Trace Administrator Steve Marino.

“We are going to be able to have somebody dining in the restaurant and have a wedding in the other room so that they’re not interfering with each other,” he said.

“So it’s really going to make this clubhouse … that much better for anybody who has a wedding here, dines here, golfs here,” Marino added.

The changes, Bostdorff said, are expected to lead to a significant return on investment by boosting restaurant revenue. Marino has said increasing Yankee’s food and beverage revenue has been a growing priority.

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