Deals are Made on the Golf Course, and these Area Golf Courses Made Deals, Too

BY TEECE ARONIN

There’s that classic image of business deals being made on golf courses, but in the Greater Lansing region, the golf courses make deals too.

Case in point: Over the course of the next decade, plans are in the works for the longclosed Waverly Golf Course to be reborn as WestPark. Northern Capital Investments bought the course from the city of Lansing in fall 2018 for $2.2 million. Once the mixed-use development is completed, WestPark is expected to include a park, housing, senior living and restaurants. The site, consisting of 120 acres, makes for substantial usable space with roughly 27 acres to be commercial, 84 residential, and up to nine designated as park space. A Lansing State Journal article from Nov. 9, quoted Jay Barnes of the Florida-based company Northern Capital Investments as saying, “When we made the decision to pursue the project, in our minds it was a 10-year project to build out, but we’re confident there will be steady development in the next few years.”

There are other ways area golf courses are being improved and making the news, and Groesbeck Golf Course is busy in those departments as well. Named for Michigan Gov. Alex Groesbeck who was in office when the course was built, Groesbeck Golf Course opened in 1926. In 2016, reconstruction was performed on holes six and seven to allow for a drainage project, and additional tees and a water

feature were included. Then, in 2018, to improve traffic flow and visibility, a new entrance was constructed off Cesar E. Chavez. The Lansing Entertainment and Public Facilities Authority took over management from Lansing Parks and Recreation on Jan. 1, 2018.

Scott Keith is president and CEO of LEPFA. He told GLBM, “Golf courses naturally see some growth and development in good economic times. At Groesbeck Golf Course, we are investing in improvements to the course, improvements to the culture of customer services, and amenities that are allowing the golf course to be used more year-round and for nontraditional activities.”

destination for golfers from all over the world thanks to our long summer days and 650 public golf courses. It follows that we couldn’t have reached those lofty heights without stunning and challenging courses with hosts of amenities. And in the case of Waverly, you won’t need tees, balls and golf clubs to take full advantage of what it has to offer.

So, when it comes to our area’s golf courses, there’s a “good deal” of improvement going on. NEWS

Teece Aronin is a blogger and columnist. Teece writes a humor/health and wellness column for the Oakland Press. Her artwork is available at the Redbubble.com store, phylliswalter, and Aronin seriously considers any request for workshops, coaching, and speaking engagements. Read her blog at ChippedDemitasse. BlogSpot.com, contact her at paronin1@gmail. com and follow her on Twitter @taronin.

2018 between Eagle Eye Golf Club and the famed Timber Ridge Golf Course on Park Lake Road in East Lansing. The arrangement resulted in Eagle Eye acquiring Timber Ridge. According to the Eagle Eye Golf Club website, eagleeyegolfclub.com, Timber Ridge was “carved from a mature tree nursery that was planted in the late 1940s.” Among other features, the course prides itself on a championship layout, environmentally sound course design, beautiful water features and breathtaking greens. A concerted effort is also made to keep family-friendly choices available and a redoubling of attention on areas such as greens maintenance and clubhouse renovations also provided a welcomed lift.

READY TO MAXIMIZE YOUR BUSINESS VALUE?

Take action now to set goals, improve protability, strengthen your business, reduce risk, and maximize value.

Contact Dennis to focus on what drives value and how to increase it.

Dennis Theis, CPA, CVGA 517.886.9537 dtheis@manercpa.com

manercpa.com 2425 E. Grand River Ave. Ste. 1, Lansing, MI 48912

MICHIGAN LEADING THE WAY IN CLEAN ENERGY State's energy companies full-steam ahead on renewable efforts

BY ALLISON SPOONER

In 2008, Michigan introduced the Clean, Renewable and Efficient Energy Act that requires the state’s investor-owned utilities, alternative retail suppliers, electric cooperatives and municipal electric utilities to generate 15% of their retail electricity sales from renewable energy resources by 2021. Michigan's two biggest energy providers are on track to not only meet these requirements, but they're also surpassing them.

Through renewable energy efforts, reduction of coal and carbon emissions and innovative energy solutions, the Lansing Board of Water and Light and Consumer’s Energy are working to make Michigan a leader in clean energy.

manager, said BWL decided to take this step when it looked at the environment and the amount of coal and energy it was using.

“We wanted to cut back but also help customers control costs.”

BWL is committed not only to cutting costs for customers but to providing 30% clean energy by 2020 and 40% by 2030. In addition, it will also cease

coal generation in Lansing and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by the end of 2025. According to Peffley, all of the goals are on track to be met and it is ahead of schedule on its 2025 goal.

BWL’s energy goals are being met by a combination of renewable energy, like wind and solar, and implementing new technologies that help customers manage their energy needs.

The customer’s role in managing energy usage and controlling costs is huge and they play a key part not only for BWL but for Michigan’s other energy leader, Consumer’s Energy. Consumer’s also has big goals when it comes to clean energy and, like with BWL, the consumer is at the center of those plans.

“A lot of people feel helpless when it comes to climate change,” said Patti Poppe, president and CEO of Consumer's Energy. “But the message we want to send is that there is something we can do that is very meaningful and powerful.”

Both companies are encouraging customers to upgrade their lighting, insulate their homes, use smart thermostats and use their appliances during nonpeak energy times.

Beyond consumer-centered programs, Consumer’s is also turning to wind and solar energy to meet big clean energy goals. According to Poppe, Consumer’s is on track to eliminate coal, reduce carbon emissions by over 90% and meet customers’ future electricity needs with 90% clean energy resources by 2040.

“We’ve issued our first request for proposals on solar installations … we will see how the marketplace delivers. It’s a big shift to do an open call for proposals, and promise the panels will be built by someone other than us but it fits the market dynamics.”

Both companies are looking to wind energy to fulfill and surpass the state energy law, and Peffley said this has offered a bit of a challenge.

“People like the idea of wind and solar energy but not in their backyard.” Finding locations for new energy conductors was a challenge, but through cooperation and education, Peffley said BWL is still ahead of its 2020 goal.

Education is key for both companies. “We need to suspend people’s belief that there is nothing they can do,” said Poppe.

This means making customers aware of the programs it offers. “Our programs have been in full swing for 10 years and 46% of people still don’t know we do this.”

BWL conducts energy audits and Consumer’s offers subscriptions to solar blocks. Both companies offer energy monitoring programs utilizing technologies such as smartphones and apps.

“We can handle the big stuff, like the solar panels and closing coal plants," Poppe said. "But we can't help unless people take action.”

You can learn more about each company’s plan for a cleaner future on their websites. NEWS

Allison Spooner is a writer, storyteller, copywriter, marketing content creator and communicator. She uses her communication and creative writing skills to articulate the stories and messages that businesses can’t express themselves. She has been telling the stories of businesses across the state of Michigan for 10 years. You can find both her professional and her creative writing on her website, allisonspoonerwriter.com and follow her musings on Twitter @allyspoon.

KEEP YOUR BUSINESS GOALS ON TARGET IN 2020 KEEP YOUR BUSINESS GOALS ON TARGET IN 2020

WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF FOSTER SWIFT BUSINESS ATTORNEYS.

Read our blogs and business newsletters at fosterswift.com. • Employee Benefits • Employment Law • Entity Selection & Planning • Financing • Intellectual Property • International Expansion • Mergers & Acquisitions • Real Estate • Tax Planning • Technology

FOSTERSWIFT.COM 517.371 .8100