Big Bend is home to a few remarkable communities: Marathon, Study Butte, Terlingua Ghost Town, Lajitas, and Big Bend National Park. Wild West-style complex in the area where Gen. John "Black Jack" are more than six.". Lajitas, he hopes, may have another life yet. [20] He gave $1 million to Greg Abbott after the 2021 legislative session. Lajitas is an unincorporated community in Brewster County, Texas, United States, near the Big Bend National Park. It was live-music night at La Kiva, the best of it played by a young female fiddle player from the Northeast whod put off grad school to take a job at Lajitas. party. The answer, as it turns out, is a little bit of both. There was no plan at all, no directions from above. Some links in this post may be affiliate links. wonder at the house, garden, stones and path running down to the river. The lowest recorded temperature at the resort is 10 degrees Fahrenheit. McNairs group paid $132.5 million for the property making it one of the most expensive golf resorts ever sold. Lajitas Golf Resort is open Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun. Earlier this year, Mr. Smith's dream officially ended in The party was large, maybe ten men and women, all drinking. Asian money. Make no mistake, desert life is hard, and the sacrifices required are made hourly. Had he really sprayed a compound on the ground in front of the Lajitas boardwalk that would keep dust from kicking up? Mr. Leslie on Friday When I asked him what would happen if his dream didnt work, he said, Well, at least me and my friends will have a really nice golf course to play. (Smith declined to be interviewed for this article, and Texas Monthly happens to be one of his unsecured creditors, owed $35,000 for unpaid advertising.). "I still think it could be something special," the 52-year-old Saying Goodbye to Fairfield Lake State Park, Miniature Cattle Have Ambled Into Our Hearts and Onto Our Modest Acreages. Copyright 20042023 Yelp Inc. Yelp, , and related marks are registered trademarks of Yelp. The result is a resort that is simultaneously swanky with somewhat exclusive vibeshelped along by the fact that there is literally nothing else aroundthat is also far more affordable than you might think. That party is over. The store and saloon were operated by H.W. On the wooden boardwalk, guests checked in in the grand lobby of the elegant Badlands Hotel, which is decorated like a high-dollar Old West guest house. View all View all photos (863) He was elected in 1986, and for a time, visiting him was one of the most popular things to do in Lajitas, TX. When I met him nearly two years later, he was thinking differently. The high bid at days end was $13.5 million, but the bidder, who wished to remain anonymous, hadnt offered enough money to pay all the creditors, and no deal was reached. A skeet range was put in that had shooters firing over the bike trail. The town hadnt changed a whit when he got out of college and took a job with new owner Mischer in 1977, except for the recent introduction of electricity and a regular telephone line. Owner is the CEO of Energy Transfer. But it also served as a gathering place for the areas whites, Mexicans, and Indians, none of whom batted an eye at the towns other prominent, permanent resident, an old man who refused to wear anything more than his underwear, in which he would daily pan for gold in the Rio Grande. Nine of the 92 rooms were full, not including Mr. Warren's When he decided to sell, Smith, a 54-year-old Austin-based telecommunications tycoon, showed up unannounced and unknown, stepping out of his helicopter just before the auction began to buy Lajitas on a whim for $4.25 million. [2] He is a former co-chairman of Le Gp, OEC Compression. , we came back to resort and spent time lounging in the pool. Yes guests are welcome to bring their pets to the resort. His dad, Rex, a Brewster County commissioner, owned Lajitas for nearly thirty years before selling it to Mischer in 1977. He was also involved in a dispute with the IRS over $140 million in tax shelters. since 2003 and hopes to remove the exclusivity from the resort. [5] Proper golf attire is required on the golf course and in the clubhouse. Still, Dennis struck me as an odd person to be championing the resorts willingness to act without a game plan. [1] His father worked as a field hand for Sun Pipeline, a company now owned by Warren. When the mines in nearby Terlingua closed in the 1940s, though, Lajitas also became a ghost town, with an estimated population of 4. The elevation of the course is 3500 feet. On the one hand, hes wealthy and owns his own plane. [2][3] He serves on the advisory board of his alma mater, the University of Texas at Arlington. In mid-October, Lajitas was back up for sale. Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa 100 Main St, Terlingua, TX 79852 Hotel Amenities Property Details Built in 2003 101 rooms in 26 buildings Designated smoking areas Hotel Services Concierge and tour/ticket information 24-hour business center 6000 square feet of conference space Convenience store and gift shop Luggage storage Laundry facilities was Mr. Warren's first Front Desk: (432) 424-5000 the rich never came in large numbers. Kelcy Lee Warren (born November 9, 1955)[1] is an American billionaire and the chairman and chief executive officer of Energy Transfer Partners.[2][3][4][5][6]. For the 23 years prior to that, Lajitas had been the property of Houston business giant Walter Mischer, whod turned it into a modest resort with an Old West boardwalk, a nine-hole golf course, ninety cheap hotel rooms, and an RV park for winter Texans, all of it anchored by a 65-year-old ramshackle adobe trading post so vital to the regions commerce and society that some called it the Courthouse of South County. She was all smiles when I met her, one more witness to the greatness of Lajitas. In 1999 Williams sold the resort to a group of investors led by Dickie Pamplin. These activities increased commerce across the Rio Grande into Texas; consequently, by 1900 Lajitas was designated a substation port of entry. 1 (877) 525-4827. A stay in a historic hotel, a swanky villa, or even the resorts Maverick RV Park are all options at Lajitas Golf Resort. John Spong writes primarily about popular culture. "Head out to the tee whenever y'all want," was the refrain from the golf shop on this idyllic, sunny Tuesday morning in April. It was mounted on a pediment in the middle of the golf courses putting green on Thursday, according to Scott Beasley, who manages the course for Dallas-based WSB Resorts and Clubs. The private owner is Addison-based attorney Ronald Holmes of Holmes Firm PC, a friend of the course who was down in Terlingua for Thursdays dedication. Order your test online and receive your donor/registration pass by email. Share. ", "It produced a feeling that no matter how nice the adornment, As youre exploring Big Bend Country, theres a good chance youll find yourself passing through the blink-and-youll-miss-it town of Lajitas. If you fill out the first name, last name, or agree to terms fields, you will NOT be added to the newsletter list. For Sales Info, Contact: Scott Beasley 214-981-0758 Welcome To LAJITAS GOLF RESORT Lajitas Golf Resort in Lajitas, Texas Tucked away in Texas' historic Big Bend between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend State Park lies Lajitas Resort, the perfect setting for your away-from-it-all adventure. My first thought was, Id spend a million to spruce it up a little bit, he told the San Antonio Express-News shortly thereafter. Lajitas Golf Resort is a 103 room resort with the number one public 18-hole golf course in Texas, spa, restaurant, saloon, 3 swimming pools, and a guest activity menu that includes shooting sports, equestrian riding, Subaru rentals, stargazer dinners on site, and guided jeep and ATV trips with local vendors. But the other reason for the difficulty in determining someones age out there cuts the other way. She and her husband have since purchased the place. He bought a CD from her and promised On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He also funded the construction of a church and a school. Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa 100 Main St, Terlingua, TX 8.2 Very Good 608 reviews How we verify reviews 10 - Excellent 273 8 - Good 206 6 - Okay 78 4 - Poor 39 2 - Terrible 12 8.7/10 Cleanliness 8.6/10 Staff & service 8.0/10 Amenities 8.0/10 Property conditions & facilities 8.2/10 Eco-friendliness 8/10 Good Christopher Jan 5, 2023 profit. I was doctor, vet, lawyer, marriage counselor, pharmacist, and an importer of wax. Copyright (c) 2007, The Dallas Morning News. Dallas' Robert E. Lee statue has a new home. What emerged was part roadside attraction, motel, RV park and For the American football player, see, "Executive Profile - Energy Transfer Partners - Kelcy L. Warren", "List of Public Companies Worldwide, Letter - Businessweek", "Inside Kelcy Warren's Dallas Mansion - WSJ", "College of Engineering at The University of Texas at Arlington", "Kelcy Warren emerges as one of Dallas' bold new philanthropists", "These Billionaires Received Taxpayer-Funded Stimulus Checks During the Pandemic", "The New Forbes Philanthropy Score: How We Ranked Each Forbes 400 Billionaire Based On Their Giving", "John Fogerty, Lyle Lovett, Bruce Hornsby, Jimmy LaFave put on a killer show on Kelcy Warren's ranch in the Texas Hill Country", "Why Kelcy Warren Named a Park For His Son", "Million-Dollar Donors in the 2016 Presidential Race", "Dakota Access pipeline company and Donald Trump have close financial ties", "The Texas Electric Grid Failure Was a Warm-up", "Stealth billionaire lays claim to Woodall Rodgers park naming rights", "Lajitas Resort: Why you better go now - El Paso Inc.: Publishers Column", "REVEALED: One of world's wealthiest men buys Kilkenny mansion for 12.6m - Kilkenny Now - Your City. Eventually she started sobbing, and I was whisked off by the minder into a crowd of happier revelers. But we also know that they expect more than Kelloggs and Minute Maid. When I visited the Starlight in October, that waitress was still there. nine-hole golf course, in addition to the thousands of acres of Theres a simple story of manners that gets retold on the porch when Lajitas is discussed. Dec. 22, 2007 - LAJITAS, Texas -- Not even $100 million, The runway airport has full 100LL and Jet A fuel, complimentary tiedowns down services and offers transportation to the resort. People who drive out here have prepared themselves for the remoteness, said one stately desert spiritualist who asked not to be named. Otherwise youre just buying dirt.. The second day was to be spent on the Ambush, the only course Smith ended up building. As an Amazon Associate, Lone Star Travel Guide earns from qualifying purchases. It was neat and comfortable, but somewhere in the two rooms there should have been a desk, and the television should have provided a clear picture and more than nineteen channels. So life went in Lajitas, through the end of Iveys tenure in 1993, right up until Mischer sold out to Smith. old-world bar, 92 luxury rooms and Mayor Clay Henry, a beer-drinking Now", "Castles in the ire: the minted moguls snapping up Ireland's stately homes", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kelcy_Warren&oldid=1135081936, This page was last edited on 22 January 2023, at 14:53. The deal was complete, except for a few papers that remained to be If you fall off a cliff, you will die. There was a reason Big Bend hadnt already been overrun by the wealthy: the Chihuahuan Desert. Always found it to be poorly maintained, with poor food service. Instead, he paid dearly to learn an age-old lesson: The desert always wins. contact@lajitasgolfresort.com, 2014 Lajitas Golf Resort new chef has been hired to bring the restaurant things like chicken But the desert has always had a way of withering material ambition. ocotillo plants. and Mike Montgomery. One part Texas frontier town, and one part golf resort, Lajitas is 100% pleasure. Im a sports expert and lover. On the day of the wedding, after our adventure in. They should be selling its history and its culture. Nearly every living thing a desert dweller encountersbe it plant, bug, or beastis capable of drawing blood. [2] It is also located 95mi (153km) south of Alpine and 50mi (80km) east of Presidio.[7]. A post office was established at Lajitas in 1904 and remained in operation until 1939. Rooms were scattered all over the grounds, along the boardwalk, on the golf course, and across Ranch Road 170, driving up operating costs. But the desert has always had a way of withering material Nothing unusual about that or about the fact that a couple of the men were somewhat flirty with the waitress, an attractive young woman whod been living in the area for about a year. After dinner some of our group went back to the resort, but my tour guide on the trip, the Lajitas general manager whod been assigned to babysit me, wanted a nightcap. Copyright 2023, D Magazine Partners, Inc. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The general rides near the Texas-Mexico border. Ivey would even get customers prescriptions filled on his weekly runs to Alpine. Though it was appraised on the Brewster County tax rolls at $16 million, Smiths own investment in the place has reportedly been more than $100 million. The vision for a resort at Lajitas began in the late 1970s, Yes the resort offers weddings and other special events. Scott Beasley, whose company WSB Resorts and Clubs manages Lajitas among other businesses and properties, said he is committed to having the resort show a profit in 2017 - if not sooner. The Big Bend is not the kind of place you want to drive through and look out your window at, Ivey continued. When I go down there now, all I see are a few workers, but theyre not allowed to talk to anybody. H.W. It was part of the borderland experience, and everyone got along fine. for your away-from-it-all adventure. The resorts 250 workers made Lajitas the largest employer in South County, and it paid nearly 30 percent of the taxes for the schools in Terlingua. The resort features our world class 18 hole golf course, Lajitas Texas Golf. The Lajitas Golf Resort is a full-service golf resort and spa located in the Big Bend region of West Texas. See pricing and listing details of Lajitas real estate for sale. No spam, ever. If you take a plane, you just show up. McNairs group has continued to invest in the resort adding a new clubhouse and expanding the spa. As part of the contract, his son cleans up trash from the park once a month. civilization. But its a thin margin to begin with, and it just didnt play out for him., The idea that the desert could somehow be softened gets at a practical divide that would prove even wider. The ultimate fate of Lajitas wont be decided by any new owner. When I visited it in August and October, the trading post was dead. It is named for his son. Facilities Maintenance Technician; HVAC I Technician/Electrician We also have an email out to Warren. In 2010, he bought the 3,500-acre BootJack Ranch near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, for $46.5 million. He married Amy Hudson on June 3, 2010, in Dallas. Any idea Dennis came up with was worth a try. It is a nonprofit event to raise money for children's charities and local public service organizations. The crossing was described as a smooth, rock bottom, and was best between Del Rio and El Paso. Fast forward another few decades, though, and Lajitas, TX experienced a curious twist of fate: a corporation from Houston bought the entire town, restored most of the buildings, and turned it into a resort for golfers and visitors exploring Big Bend Country. About 10 minutes later, Ms. Ryan appeared down the road, clad But after about three quick drinks, she started talking about how the kids she grew up with all called her a traitor for working for Smith. View 72 homes for sale in Lajitas, TX at a median listing home price of $89,000. What she didnt remember, thankfully, was that I had been sitting at that table. [17], The Kelcy Warren Foundation supports the Caddo Lake Institution, an organization with the mission of protecting the ecological, cultural and economic integrity of Caddo Lake and its associated wetlands and watershed. UT Dallas is paying students to get vaccinated. I think he was just writing checks.. Megan's Dog Adventures. [2][3][4] He also serves as member of the management council of ETP Enogex Partners LLC, co-CEO of ETC OLP, co-CEO and co-chairman of La Grange Energy and of US Propane LLC. Lajitas Golf Resort 1,061 reviews #1 of 1 resort in Lajitas Review Save Share 21701 FM 170, Lajitas, Big Bend National Park, TX 79852-5015 1 (877) 525-4827 Visit hotel website E-mail hotel Check In / / Check Out / / Guests Contact accommodation for availability. Still, when the sun sets each night, when the dry desert air turns gold and the clouds go from white to purple to orange to gone and a desert rat can put himself to sleep by counting stars, that hard life is worth it. [14], Warren has hosted the Cherokee Music Festival since it began in 2007. bankrupt resort and give Lajitas another life. To be fair, Smith did do some good. The crossing, a smooth rock bottom all the way across the river, was the best between Del Rio and El Paso. Mr. Smith called it the Ultimate Hideout, but I have stayed here several times before I knew who the owner was. The woman, and, for that matter, all of Terlingua, was offended. Mischer never made much money off the place and held onto it mostly out of love. The crowds would grow to three hundred people and still be going when Ivey showed up for work the next morning, when he would finally shoo folks away. Good, 21701 FM 170 Lajitas, Texas 79852 289 on the Forbes 400 list of the richest people in America, with an estimated net worth of $3.8 billion. The resort's unique destination is rich in Old West history. But he insisted that his intention was little substantive change. Please see our, 15 Beautiful Hikes in Big Bend National Park, 7 Best Things to Do in Marathon, TX (+ Tips! He loves it out west. "Black Jacks Crossing", designed by PGA Hall of Fame golfer, Lanny Wadkins. The outing had been arranged in part to show me the way the new folks in Lajitas were being accepted in the community. In the early days of the expansion, a number of Smiths captains went into the Starlight Theatre in Terlingua for dinner. Restaurant Manager; Facilities. For with a $4.2 million bid. But the place could be friendlier to residents on this side of the river. A crossing into Mexico, closed years ago, once ferried tourists The population remained at 50 in 1990 and grew to 75 from 2000 to 2010. At some point in 2006 Smith decided to stop pouring his own fortune into Lajitas. At the same time a number of cattle ranches and mining enterprises appeared in northern Chihuahua and Coahuila. Big Bend is a diverse region with endless possibilities for adventure and discovery. Farming along the floodplain caused an even further boom, causing Lajitas to build a store, a saloon, and a custom house in 1912. [5][24] He also owns an 8,000-acre ranch near Cherokee, Texas,[5] the 20,000-acre Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa in Lajitas, Texas,[25] and a private island near Roatn, Honduras. Dallas Robert E. Lee statue has a new home. And when he describes how he discovered a hole in a Lajitas urinal once upon a timeId had a few beers and went to take a leak, and my foot kept getting warmer, and I remembered I had my Birkenstocks on, and . "misery ground into the walls. Lajitas is on the western edge of Big Bend National Park in southwestern Brewster County. Still, in a larger sense the buyer and his intentions dont really matter. Weve had the best year weve ever had, said Beasley. Of all the wrongheaded moves made at the new Lajitas, it was the sanitization of the trading post that broke the most hearts. Ever since I retired, I decided to put up this blog alongside the best brains among my old student to uphold the sporting spirit in us. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had a population of 75 in 2010. But he also waves his cowboy hat over his head and yells yeehaw like Slim Pickens in Dr. Strangelove whenever he flies it into the Trans-Pecos. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Thats the way the project was run, as if success was secondary. [12] Before that, Lajitas had a school with 50 students in 1912. Bill grew up in that Lajitas, in the late fifties and sixties, attending school in Alpine but spending his weekends, holidays, and summers down by the river. They died. [6], Lajitas is located on the eastern end of the Big Bend Ranch State Park. The Lajitas area was then bought by Rex Ivey, Jr., who brought electricity to the community in 1949 and sold part of it to Walter M. Mischer, a Houston entrepreneur and owner of Mischer Corporation. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Enjoy unlimited access to all of our incredible journalism, in print and digital. And everyone carried guns back then, but they knew to check them with me at the door or Id lose my beer license. Ivey shakes his head as he realizes that this wasnt that long ago. 10 or more click here, Traveler rating: 7.0 [12] Warren received a COVID stimulus check in 2020 as he had reported large losses previously. Beautiful views yes. If you get bitten by a rattlesnake, youll die. City documents identified Holmes, but he hadnt hinted at what hed do with his new hunk of Alexander Phimister Proctor-made metal. Tucked away in Texas' historic Big Bend between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend State Park lies Lajitas Resort, the perfect setting But the true injustice came with my breakfast: $33 for coffee, a small bowl of granola, some strawberries, concentrated orange juice, and a cute little box of Special K, like the kind my mom used to provide before she trusted me to pour from the big-boy box. From 1996 to 2000, Warren served as a director of Crosstex Energy, Inc. and from 1993 to 1996, he served as president, chief operating officer and a director of Cornerstone Natural Gas, Inc. Warren has more than 25 years of business experience in the energy industry. people," Mr. Warren said from town, joined on the trip by business Daniel Vaughn is the countrys first barbecue editor, and he has eaten more barbecue than you have. The gas pumps were gone, as were the willow leaves and goat-pen wire. It's a quick trip to Terlingua for other dining options, although we had breakfast at, The morning of our second day we explored the. If it didnt work out, Smith would just hire somebody else to start over. On the Wide Plains West of Lubbock, a Chainsaw Carver Works From an Old Cotton Gin, Texas Lege Watch: A House Republican Fights for Chicken Freedom, Family Memories Echo Through an East Texas Shoe Shop, Texas Monthly Recognized by ASME in the 2023 National Magazine Awards, Our Guide to Johnson City, Where You Can Stroll to Wineries and Museums. Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa HC 70, Box 400, Lajitas, Big Bend National Park, TX 79852 +1 432-424-5000 Website Open now : 07:00 AM - 9:00 PM See all (62) Food Service Value Atmosphere Food and ambience Local cuisine, American, Southwestern Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. Unlike Mr. Smith, whose persona became intertwined with his A stay at Lajitas Golf Resort is an opportunity to step 100 years back into the history of . The resort couldn't turn a I hear once a week or more, from people I dont even know, who tell me how much the trading post meant to them and how sad they are that its gone, he said. "Lajitas" translates to "little flat rocks" in Spanish. "I'm telling you. Soon, they sat in an outdoor living room by the outdoor When Steve Smith bought the remote Big Bend town of Lajitas in 2000, he dreamed of building a lush, five-star retreat that would attract the likes of Tiger Woods and Tom Cruise. Unable to find her, Mr. Warren wandered about with a look of It has been called America's weirdest golf resort, a spiritual In nearly every article on Lajitas that ran in the early Smith years, he gave some variant of a quote he gave to me. The omicron variant has arrived in the U.S. as Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers is blocked by a federal judge. And frankly, I dont think Smith even knows. I did nothing more than let it happen, and a real community is there now. A short time later, he returned on his jet and to Dallas. Be aware that cell phones may inadvertently change to Mountain Time and cause you to be an hour behind schedule. property, Mr. Warren plans a largely hands-off approach. Warren said Thursday looking about. The three-hundred-yard walk to dinner that night was unlit and took me through a construction pit, and the meal for me and my friend at the gourmet Ocotillo was decent but blandthe venison chop, snapper filet, and rattlesnake cake all tasted like their sauce. Some other rich guy desiring a private playground. Then, this summer the Lajitas resort declared bankruptcy, announcing some $15 million in debts and $500,000 a month in operating losses, and went on the auction block. Now, we all know people who wouldnt blink at a $33 breakfast. To support Lajitas Vision of being recognized by our customers as the "Friendliest Resort in Texas!" You should champion this culture in every touch point of our business from our associates, guests, owners, and communities. William H. Emory also visited Lajitas in 1852. The Kolaches of West, Texas (Bakeries + Beyond), 13 Useful Tips for Visiting the Alamo in San Antonio, How to Visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris, TX (+ Photos & FAQ), 10 Great Texas Gulf Coast RV Parks (Beach Trip Ideas), 10+ Tips for Round Top, TX Shopping Trips (Antiques Fair Advice! A private buyer shipped it to a Lajitas golf course owned by oil and gas billionaire Kelcy Warren almost exactly two years since the Confederate . He sat me down at a table with a guy in his late-thirties named Dennis, who was a carpenter on the crew redoing the lobby of the Badlands Hotel. And at that point, reconciling the deserts harshness and beauty is your problem. In 1986 he sold his Huntsville-based restaurant chain, Tinsleys Chicken and Rolls, and made millions, and he used part of that haul to put a house on the river just upstream from Lajitas. question. But back on the road, he was still thinking about the woman. If you talk to the people who live in South County, youll quickly sense the difference between them and the kinds of people Smith meant to attract, and it is not one of money but philosophy. He restored the community in 1976 with his corporation's subsidiary, Arrow Development Company. With the border now closed, the trading post will never return to its Ivey-era glory. These days, Clay Henry can be found (stuffed) at Starlight Theatre in Terlingua, but Clay Henrys descendants continued to act as mayorat least until his grandson met a gnarly fate.
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