With the country club on the verge of closing, the founder of Terri Pines has stepped in to take over operations immediately — meaning the club will survive, at least for the foreseeable future.

Bert McGriff, who established Terri Pines 30 years ago, will take on all assets of the club and essentially become the new owner and operator. McGriff spent the past year shopping the property to potential buyers with hopes of selling it — though a legitimate suitor never materialized.

The McGriff family has always owned the golf course and property at Terri Pines; and will now take on the club house, tennis courts and other amenities.     Until this week, those assets had been leased out to the members via a governing board.

Barry McGriff, Bert’s son, declined to comment directly on the deal, but did issue a statement saying his family is excited about the future of the club.

“TP looks forward to operating with the guidance of an advisory board providing direction and a voice for all members,” he said in the release. “We want TP to be a first-class facility for the entire community. All businesses, civic organizations and citizens of Cullman County are invited and encouraged to take part in our membership.”

To reflect the change in ownership, the operation will now be called TP Country Club, Inc.

“For the past 30 years members have enjoyed first class golf facilities and will continue to do so in the future,” McGriff said in a statement. “The direction of the club will be a club of choice ... It is the desire of the McGriff family that each member finds new and exciting value in the products and services of their new club.”

Terri Pines has been struggling financially for some time, and the economic recession has caused a steady decline in the club’s revenue, board of governors president Joe Holmes said.

“The sluggish economy has taken its toll on most businesses and households across the world,” Holmes said. “Unfortunately, our club has not been immune to this very situation and has been forced to change our operational setup. We tried everything. We tried membership drives, assessments and reduced green fees, but could no outrun the poor economy.”

Before McGriff stepped in, the financial quandary had gotten so bad the Terri Pines board was planning to close the club as early as this week.

“At the membership meeting this month it was announced ... that the operations would stop at month’s end,” Holmes said. “The meeting was then immediately turned to Barry McGriff who announced to the crowd that all details have not been completed, but he was proud to announce the club would stay open and there would be no suspension of services. We are lucky to have this family as a part of our community.”

Holmes said everything should be business-as-usual at the club for the time being, though some changes could be on the way in the coming months.

“Mr. McGriff has hired a professional consultant to take the club to a new level,” he said. “There are many positive changes on the way. Terri Pines will be dancing to a new tune.”

Cullman Mayor Max Townson said the club has been a resource to the area for decades, and he hopes that relationship can continue for years to come.

“Through the years that has been a great asset to our community, not only for the people, but also for industrial and retail recruitment,” he said. “I’m glad to see something is going to be done to try and have it for the future of the community. It’s beauty is second to none, it has a well-kept course and the entire thing is truly an asset.”



Alcohol

For members concerned the club might lose it’s license to legally sell alcohol, Holmes said that shouldn’t be an issue.

“That shouldn’t change,” he said.

Despite being in a dry county, Terri Pines can legally sells alcohol, via an Alabama law allowing certain groups and organizations to sell alcohol in dry counties.

Had the club closed and stopped serving alcohol, Cullman County would have likely lost tens of thousands of annual alcohol tax revenue it currently receives because of Terri Pines.

Fifty percent of the alcohol money given to Cullman County is automatically dispersed among the area municipalities based on population, and the other funds are divvied out in the form of grants by the legislatively established Cullman County Community Development Commission (CCCDC).



* Trent Moore can be reached by e-mail at trentm@cullmantimes.com, or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 220.