Winning bid from quartet of businessmen was $1,575,000
The Normanside Country Club has officially changed hands, and the cards have been laid on the table.
The new Normanside ownership is actually a team, made up of Rafael Flores, owner of the Mohawk River Country Club in Rexford and the Hiland Park Country Club in Queensbury, and three members of the Hostig family, relative newcomers to the golf business and owners of Smith’s Restaurant in Cohoes.
The two interests went in 50/50 to purchase the course for $1,575,000 in a sealed bidding process with the Bank of America.
The Town of Bethlehem had submitted its own bid after much deliberation by town leaders. With the closing finalized, Supervisor Sam Messina revealed that the town’s shot fell just short with a bid of $1.5 million.
I feel that the bid price that we went in at was a responsible amount and also realistic, Messina said. `The board felt and I felt that we would have only submitted a bid that would have enabled us to run this golf course at break even or better.`
Private enterprise keeping Normanside a golf course is really a winning situation for the town, as the property stays on the tax rolls, he continued.
The Hostigs and Flores plan to keep the course running much as before ` indeed, since the closing of the club occurred over the winter, not a single tee time will be missed. But there will be one notable change this year: the public will be able to play a round.
Non-members will pay $50 for a round of golf during the week and $60 on the weekend, which includes use of a cart. The new ownership will also be keeping a members program, though at reduced prices set at $3,050 for individuals and $3,600 for a family.
Those public fees are a touch higher than many other public courses in the area, including at Capital Hills, the City of Albany’s municipal course right across the river. The owners don’t see that as a problem, though, saying the caliber of golf at Normanside will mean plenty of business.
`They won’t have to worry about fighting the crowds and leagues. It will be a better value,` said Dave Hostig, who is involved in the sale with his father, Joseph Sr., and grandfather, Joseph Sr.
Likewise, Flores said he expects business to boom at the banquet facility, not only from regular events coming back but from even more special occasion bookings.
`Our main goal is to go for a lot of outside weddings,` said Flores, who makes nuptial events a business lynchpin at Mohawk River.
The clubhouse is already open for business and accepting engagements. A new website should be forthcoming.
The new owners said the transition process has been quite smooth and the course is in excellent condition. In fact, in recent years the country club replaced bunkers, built an irrigation system and upgraded storm drainage, all of which contributed to making the course turnkey ready.
The Normanside Country Club closed its doors in late January with just about 240 members on the rolls and $4 million in debt. Many of those members have already expressed interest in renewing their memberships under the new management, said Hostig, though it’s too early to give numbers.
`There’s been some strong support,` he said. `A lot of members have already said ‘we want to come back.’ We expect a decent retention rate.“
