20 May 2010 9:55 AM:
Nicklaus has signed 18 holes in Murcia
At a time when all the shouting loudly about unemployment and Spanish housing crisis has Jack Nicklaus signed a masterpiece on the Spanish east coast. In all silence.
. TEXT: TOM ERIK ANDERSEN
Sunday 28 February 2010, kl. 16.28
The financial crisis continues to cast long shadows of a sun in the Spanish housing market. Many players have gone doll, many more workers have lost jobs their prices for homes have fallen and a large number of planned projects will not even be completed.
The situation is not much different in Murcia an hour drive south of Alicante. Few places in Europe have seen development in recent years. At a time when everything still looked like the Polaris World started the construction of six golf resorts in this quiet corner of Spain. The combination of sunshine, a warm Mediterranean coast, affordable housing and golf courses in the top class was to lure homebuyers from across the continent. The plans were gigantic, stakeholders were buses to the construction sites and view apartments. And long did it well. Sales offices were opened in all major European cities, also in Oslo. From offices at Fornebu was conveyed homes for many Norwegians. But it was above all the British who formed the largest buying group.
And one day there was a full stop.
Hit hard
The financial crisis hit the Spanish housing market hard. The pound has weakened significantly against the Euro, did not help sales. The buses stopped running. Sales offices were closed. People lost their jobs.
It has not been easy for Polaris World and the other developers. But fortunately for residential development had buyers come too far to paralyze what is about to become a new golfing mecca of Europe.
Everyone can not have been fired. Over the past two years, over 3,000 residential units completed only on Condado de Alhama, the crown either in Polaris World Murcia project. When everything is completed, probably delayed in relation to the original plan, the resort will have three 18-hole golf courses, all designed by Nicklaus Design. Just before Christmas, opened the first of them, and not just any court. It was the highlight, signature course, designed by Jack Nicklaus himself.
Jack was not there, but we were even present at the opening. There was a random Thursday without anyone knowing about it. Nor does the Polaris World employees in the provisional pro-shop. They only got the go-ahead on the phone early in the morning - it was fine, that they could get people out.
Then of course, had a select few have been there before us. A Hi5 tournament was held at the beginning of the month, a group of journalists from across Europe had been trying played wonderful eaten. A few representatives from the Spanish Federation likewise.
Jack's masterpiece
Not so much as an e-mail has gone out to the more than 3,000 homeowners who have bought the first housing. However, the path is there. Free. Through word of mouth, it is fortunately a growing number of golfers who know about it. Most leave the place again impressed with what they have seen.
Only 15 minutes drive from the sandy beaches of Mazarron, at the foot of the national park of Sierra Espuna, with views all the way to the snow-covered peaks of Sierra Nevada, the Jack Nicklaus signed a masterpiece that already - after only a few months - is recognized as one of the best courses in Spain.
There are no homes on the Seve path. The white penthouse apartments ranging in four etajer along the driving range and the fairways on holes 10 and 12 Behind these, in boligtun bearing the names and Jardines Naranjos, Polaris World has sold thousands of apartments with two and three bedrooms. On its own island out in one of the artificial lakes, the apartments will have views over the next two golf courses.
Many apartments are still empty, bought by speculators who were looking for a quick profit by buying early and selling at a profit on completion. As well it is not. Speculators have to wait long for the profits they dream about. Some are also on the water over his head, and must sell now. It can provide affordable purchase for stakeholders who dare to act outside the general accepted business hours.
Ryder Cup here?
Currently it is not so much to get to the Condado Alhama d. A town center - yet relatively lonely equipped with a supermarket, a restaurant, a provisional pro-shop and a pub - sits behind the green on hole 12 There are also three football fields, tennis courts many, a volleyball court, and soon also a fitness center.
The long-term plans, however, contains so much more: a five-star hotel on naboresortene La Torre and Mar Menor, stately villas, several apartments, several restaurants, shops, spa center, and more golf. How much that will be completed according to dn impressive master plan that can be seen on the adjacent sales office, nobody knows. There are drawn only on the shoulders and answer in round terms. Out of repugnance, but because it is not known, because the future is controlled by the market. Probably also because Polaris World has had to cancel almost all of the information department's, it seems at least that.
Information is not resort giant's strong hand at the moment. It is said little, even less communicated. But the delivery capability of the building, on the product, no one can take from them. Infrastructure, track the quality and number of mating call pitches utenfo Condado de Alhama says more than anything about the ambitions for what has been named Jack Nicklaus Signature Course. In the quiet whispered it both on the European Tour and, even less, about the Ryder Cup. Should it occur, the buyers who struck now - at a time when all media reports on the Spanish housing crisis and called "track away!" - Have done a pretty good buy.
Here is the article in the norwegian golg magazin - Norsk Golf
(Google translation)
Bent
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