Chaparral CC owner: Sale not pending

The owner of the Chaparral Country Club said despite communications to his customers that may have indicated otherwise, he has not gone beyond negotiations with the City of Clovis or anybody.

City officials confirmed over the weekend they were in negotiations to buy the club, which would be part of a master parks plan to operate the 18-hole course and convert the city’s municipal golf course into open park space.

“Nothing is final,” City Manager Joe Thomas said, “until it goes through a public meeting of the city commission.”

An email forwarded to the Clovis News Journal that originated from Norman Kelley, owner of the country club read, “All member account credit has been suspended. This is due to the pending sale of Chaparral Country Club. We will accept cash, check or credit card for your purchases at Chaparral Country Club. Please clear your account balances and any purchases for April 1st, 2nd and 3rd.”

The email was sent Sunday.

Kelley confirmed Monday he sent the email, but said the move is a standard business procedure to clear out debt and “get all of the ducks in a row” for any sale, and that he’s only involved in negotiations.

“(Pending) was probably not the right word to use in the email,” said Kelley, who declined to comment further. “I had to tell my customers something (in response to sale rumors).”

The club was known as Colonial Park Country Club until Norman and Dana Kelley purchased it in 2003.

The country club purchase, and any renovations, would be paid for through money generated from a .0625 gross receipts tax dedicated to city parks. It is currently being used to pay off bonds, which expire in 2013, for a pool at Potter Park and various improvements at other city parks.