The Miami area is about to see its first golf course designed by premier golf course architect Tom Fazio. Due to open in November 2007, the new course will be known as Fort Dallas Golf Club and is being developed by Facundo Bacardi, chairman of the world’s largest privately held spirits company. Fort Dallas will occupy 168 acres at 9400 Southwest 130th Avenue (currently the site of Calusa Country Club), easily accessible via the Florida Turnpike or Kendall Drive. The course's name honors the 19th-century outpost that first marked the site of modern Miami.
“At Fort Dallas, we have the opportunity to create something truly unique and special," said Fazio. “Mr. Bacardi has challenged us to create the world-class, memorable golf experience that Miami deserves.”
In addition to Fazio, the design team includes Zmistowski Design Group, clubhouse architect; and Cole Martinez Curtis & Associates (CMCA), interior designers. Zmistowski has collaborated with Fazio on previous projects in Scottsdale, Arizona and Tulsa, Oklahoma. CMCA has produced award-winning interiors for The Lodge at Sea Island, the new Crosby Club, and The Lodge at Pebble Beach.
Calusa Country Club has been closed since it was damaged by Hurricane Katrina last August. While the course will open again around the middle of March, it is expected to close permanently this August, when groundbreaking is scheduled for Fort Dallas. The new course will open as a private club in November 2007.
Fazio is the undisputed leader in modern golf course design, with 14 of Golf Digest’s “America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses” to his credit. The landscapes he creates are known for their beauty and variety, and Fort Dallas will be no exception. The 18-hole championship course will feature 30-foot elevation changes and three winding waterways, creating an environment unique in South Florida.
Details of the new course and clubhouse facility will be unveiled at a private cocktail reception at the Biltmore Hotel on March 29.
Membership in Fort Dallas Golf Club is by invitation only and is limited to 275 individuals or corporations. Fort Dallas Golf Club is expected to compare favorably to the leading modern golf courses in the United States.
For further information, please call Fort Dallas at (305) 386-6054 or visit the website at www.fortdallasgolfclub.com.
Media contact:
Barbara Pierce
bpierce@wraggcasas.com
Senior Account Manager
Wragg & Casas PR, Inc.
1000 Brickell Ave.
Miami, FL 33131
