Emerald Greens in Tampa, Florida

Emerald Greens has been around Tampa for well over three decades under different names, in the upscale Tampa neighborhood of Carrollwood. It was known for many years as the Carollwood Country Club and anchored this pleasant, green part of Tampa, near Dale Mabry Blvd.

Eventually, the owners let the course go to seed, and it changed ownership hands several years ago. The new owners had big plans, some of which didn't sit well with neighborhood residents, like the $10 million hotel. The feeling was such a big property would screw up the ambience.

The project went through several changes, and eventually it was decided to make the resort smaller in scale, build a new clubhouse and renovate the golf course.

Emerald Greens is a 27-hole facility, or will be when they open the "Pines" nine, scheduled for mid-November. The redesign was done by Dan Maples, a well-known architect who has oddly never ventured into Florida before now.

There are, or will be when all the construction is done, 50 luxury villas, with all the amenities. The people here are calling the project the first of its kind in Tampa.