Wisconsin Club Members Vote 97% in Favor of Concert Golf Partners' Carveout of Historic Wisconsin Country Club

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Jun 06, 2023, 18:58 ET

MILWAUKEE, June 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Concert Golf Partners ("Concert Golf") proudly announces the acquisition of its 30^th private club, Wisconsin Country Club, from Wisconsin Club, which has owned and operated the property since 2009.

The Wisconsin Country Club and Concert Golf Partners

Before the sale, Wisconsin Club boasted two prestigious locations allowing members to enjoy the amenities of both "The City Club" nestled in downtown Milwaukee and "The Country Club" situated 10 miles northwest. The City Club was constructed in 1843 by Alexander Mitchell and played an integral role in Milwaukee's vibrant past. The building is steeped in history and holds a spot on the National Registry of Historical Places.

The Country Club, established in 1928, boasts a beautiful parkland-style 18-hole championship golf course, carrying a slope of 135 and course rating of 72.8 from the 6802-yard Black Tees. What the course lacks in distance, it makes up for in the finer details, specifically around the greens. The Country Club was originally designed by Harry Smead, a disciple of the legendary "steam-shovel" architects Langford & Moreau. The architectural merits of Smead mirrored the maximalism design philosophy that Langford & Moreau possessed, unafraid of manufacturing features that did not look totally natural, which was rare in the 1920s. Using the steam shovel, they were able to craft massive bunkers and green complexes that infused strategy and a distinctive flare into their designs. Even after some redesign work in the late 20^th century by David Gill, the greens still possess the boldness and intricacies that align with the original Smead design intent. The club has hosted numerous Wisconsin state championship events, including the Wisconsin Senior Amateur in 2021, won with a score of even par. In addition to golf, The Country Club members enjoy an array of exceptional amenities, including an Olympic-sized swimming pool with resort features, and first-class racquet sport facilities.

Prior to being acquired by Wisconsin Club in 2009, The Country Club was known as Brynwood Country Club. When the Wisconsin Club purchased Brynwood, they rebranded the club "Wisconsin Club Country Club," which gave Wisconsin Club the advantage of marketing itself as both a city and country club. However, by the end of 2022, the effects of the global pandemic on dining, events, and catering changed the landscape at The City Club. The Club's Board President, Fred Joachim, who was familiar with Concert Golf's success stories from previous clubs, urged his fellow board members to consider a sale to Concert Golf, maintaining that "This is our chance to bring in both capital and club expertise in one package to put both clubs on a strong long-term footing."

At that time, The Country Club was facing $1-2 million for critical repairs on their dams and bridges while The City Club had its own list of capital requirements. The Wisconsin Club did not have immediate capital to complete the needed projects and, not able to take on additional debt, would have needed to levy a special assessment on their members. Learning of this, Concert Golf put together a custom proposal addressing The Country Club's capital issues, which included the dams and bridges repairs, paying off The City Club's debt, and wiring additional funds to The City Club, which would work to preserve and enhance both Clubs for decades to come.

After Concert Golf Partners presented to the Wisconsin Club membership at the historic Mitchell Mansion in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin Club members voted 97% in favor of selling their Country Club to Concert Golf Partners. Although the Clubs are now owned and operated by two separate entities, Concert Golf Partners / The Country Club look forward to partnering and collaborating with the Wisconsin Club / The City Club for many years to come.

"We are excited to invest significant capital into the golf course and clubhouse, as well as pickleball court improvements, while adding a kids' club and more to improve the member experience. We take the responsibility we have as the new caretakers of the nearly 100-year-old Country Club very seriously," said Jordan Peace, Concert Golf Partners' Senior Vice President of Corporate Development.

"The sale of The Country Club is the very best opportunity to ensure financial strength and continued evolution for both locations well into the future. The City Club members will continue to receive exceptional amenities and services and we expect the same at the Wisconsin Country Club under the leadership of Concert Golf Partners," Wisconsin Club announced in a statement to its members.

Concert Golf Partners is a boutique owner-operator of top private golf and country clubs, formed in 2011 by Peter Nanula, Founder and CEO of Arnold Palmer Golf Management in the 1990s, and Co-Founder and COO, Susan Dunnavant. Concert Golf has amassed $250 million of patient, long-term equity capital to invest in private clubs. Concert Golf is unique for its track record of preserving the identity and traditions of historic clubs.

Concert Golf's boutique collection of upscale clubs now numbers 30 nationally, including both formerly developer-owned clubs such as The Club at Longview in Charlotte, NC and The Club at Renaissance in Ft. Myers, FL as well as longtime member-owned clubs such as White Manor Country Club in Philadelphia, PA and The Muttontown Club on Long Island, NY.

SOURCE Concert Golf Partners