President's Column, May 2024

MAC’s Board of Trustees and staff leaders are constantly looking at ways to deliver exceptional experiences and facilities well into the future.

As you can imagine, developing a plan that outlines major investments can be exciting and slightly daunting when you think of all the complexities of our organization. Fortunately, in 2021, MAC embarked on a two-year, member-led campus master planning process to establish a longterm vision and concepts for potential facility enhancements.

At the conclusion of the planning process, the Campus Master Plan Ad Hoc Committee presented their report to the Board of Trustees in February 2023. Rather than a concrete and detailed plan for the board to approve or deny, the report offered a collection of project concepts, summarized member input, and highlighted projects that emerged as high priorities for members. It also highlighted a few areas that require a bit more research and member engagement before committing to specific projects.

The board accepted the final report and determined that the work completed by the ad hoc committee had value as a guide to inform future decisions. The board established a Long-Term Strategic Ad Hoc Committee (LoTSA) to make a recommendation on which initial projects should be submitted for funding and implementation via the club’s annual prioritization and capital planning process, referred to as the Portfolio Management process.

The LoTSA committee recommended two major capital projects based on the ability to serve the most members, for the best value, with the most manageable scope of work. These two projects are enhancing the Sports Pub with an interior refresh and converting the Reading Lounge to a more flexible-use space. The board approved LoTSA’s recommendation in January 2024.

What’s Next?

Both projects now move forward with more detailed planning. We are in the process of establishing an ad hoc committee to provide input and recommendations, review designs and functionality of plans, and ensure these ventures meet the needs of our diverse community. This year will be a planning year for these projects, and construction windows are not yet established but would not begin until 2025.

A third project that made this year’s capital project list was the Sun Deck Pool refresh, which will move forward this fall. The key elements of the project scope include an upgrade to the locker rooms, storage facilities, pool depth, and HVAC system. We also will attend to necessary deferred maintenance, as well as make more efficient use of the space. Work is expected to be completed by late spring/early summer 2025.

A Look Ahead

We all know that implementing large-scale facility projects comes with some disruption and sometimes a shift in how we use our beloved club — but the benefits are worth it. When we think of how MAC’s facilities have evolved and expanded over decades to make it the club it is today, we know that these next investments will mark yet another milestone in our ongoing journey to achieve excellence. As schedules for these projects are confirmed, the club will also share plans to mitigate the impacts to members during construction. It will take some creative problem-solving, but making sure our members still have access to programs, activities, and services during construction is a top priority.

This is an exciting time, and we appreciate the many members who have dedicated their time, talent, and perspectives to shaping MAC’s bright future.