HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE
Arkansas
Advocate Volume 38, No. 3
FALL 2014
Hot Springs Village, Troon Golf Develop Strategic Partnership
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Hot Springs Village and TROON Golf, the industry’s leader in upscale golf course management, together will oversee eight Hot Springs Village Golf courses. Troon currently has destination and resort golfing properties in 34 states and 28 countries; 48 of its facilities enjoy a Top 100 ranking by national or international publications. The Hot Springs Village Board of Directors approved the Troon Golf/HSV partnership in the Aug. 20 Board Regular Meeting. “We have spent the last year creating the vision and conditions to attract strategic partnerships. As golf is one of our primary business sectors, Troon Golf, the most prestigious name in golf destinations is the first of these partners to join our team,” said David Twiggs, HSV COO. “This is a partnership to grow HSV as a golf destination.” Twiggs said Hot Springs Village will retain full control of pricing, policies, and employees along with full ownership and control of all golf courses while becoming part of the Troon family of golf destinations. “We expect this to be budget neutral in the short term due to significant cost savings on capital and renovations, redirecting existing marketing funds into the collaborative marketing, and existing personnel costs for our Director of Golf Position,” noted Twiggs, who said growth in golf revenues over the longer term will go “directly to improving HSV’s bottom line.” Twiggs identified four major benefit areas the partnership addresses. First, the partnership would allow Hot Springs Village to tap into an international marketing program to bring high quality guest golfers and potential buyers to Hot Springs Village. Troon is the largest and most highly regarded golf destination brand in the business today. Currently in affiliation with 207 courses in 24 countries and many strategic business alliances in the golf and hospitality industries. Second, the partnership increases value for HSV members by giving them access to programs and discounts at other Troon communities and resorts. “This leverages our golf and real estate marketing with Troon’s destination golf marketing for greater market profile,” said Twiggs. “The Brand Prestige of being a Troon destination will impact all property values while the focused business plan increases outside golf revenues.” Third, the partnership with Troon allows HSV to have access to a national purchasing program, which will re-
duce major maintenance and capital costs. An in-depth analysis of all course renovation projects will be based on Troon management experience of 207 other courses while bringing direct access to national data on golf business trends and strategic planning in conjunction with Troon. Fourth, the partnership allows HSV a high quality replacement for our Director of Golf. “This partnership allows us to contract a seasoned Troon Director of Golf to work in our current chain of command and under the same supervision as our current operations but with Troon corporate support and resources,” said Twiggs. “We will in essence be gaining an entire business, marketing, training, and agronomy team through one on site Director of Golf. We will leverage Troon’s experience in agronomy and BMP’s in developing a specific management plan for HSV courses.”