Senecas break ground on new golf course

Photos and story by Terry Duffy
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, June 16, 2007

Seneca Gaming representatives join with Town of Lewiston and Niagara County officials at Monday’s groundbreaking to launch construction of the $20 million Hickory Stick Golf Club.

A sunny Monday morning in the middle of a farm field in northern Lewiston signaled a new economic beginning for Niagara County as well as Western New York, as ground was broken for the much anticipated $20 million, 18-hole championship level Hickory Stick Golf Course by the Seneca Nation of Indians.

“I’d like to thank everyone for coming out for this defining and historic moment,” announced Brian Hansberry, president and CEO of the Seneca Gaming Corporation.

“Today, Lewiston is the big winner,” proclaimed Town of Lewiston Supervisor Fred Newlin.

Indeed it is, but it didn’t come easy.

Long-Sought Project

A long-sought and very much discussed project among area golfing aficionados, desires for a golf course in Lewiston date back several years -- to the late 1980s and early ’90s -- when the Joseph Davis State Park lands were first considered as a potential location. After state parks officials threw cold water on that idea, earlier former town supervisors Richard Demus and then Sandra Maslen and town board members explored a host of other locations and possibilities.

“Sandy Maslen was very aggressive in pursuing a great idea of a municipal golf course,” said Mike Dowd, an attorney whose Old Creek Development Corp was active in earlier years, first with the town and then behind the scenes with Seneca Gaming interests on pursuing a golf course for Lewiston. Earlier discussions on a site included such potential locations as the current Riverwalk housing development lands and then portions of the current Hickory Stick Club site, formerly undeveloped farm lands which today encompass some 250-plus acres of lands on an area bordered by Creek Road to the east, Pletcher Road to the north, the Robert Moses Parkway to the left, and Lewistowne-Raymond Drive subdivision to the south.

With the input of such Town Board members as former councilmen Dan Kilmer and Jim Langlois and John Ceretto, along with current Town Board member Michael Johnson, and led by then-Supervisor Maslen, exploratory citizens committees were formed in the late 90s and early 2000s, endless meetings were held, and discussions were pursued behind-the-scenes by Dowd with property landowners for a potential acquisition of lands.

Dowd’s Old Creek Development Corp. unveiled plans for what initially was eyed as a Lewiston municipal golf course costing in the $5-7 million range, accented by housing on its northern end. Its costs would have been borne by town property owners and would have been subject to a voter referendum.

Problems Develop

But resistance soon came into play; residents were divided on pursuing a golf course; wetlands, drainage and federal protection issues over threatened trees came into play with the Army Corps of Engineers and nothing was moving. It became an issue that eventually cost Maslen another bid for supervisor in 2003.

As the squabbles continued among town officials now going into 2004, the course was stalled. Fred Newlin, while being generally in favor of a golf course concept, also had reservations as to its cost impact on property owners. “I’m not in favor of this project as it stands right now,” said Newlin in 2004. “We’re spending a lot of time on this golf course as it is. I’m pretty confident how the public is going to vote … I have a bias against this project (Sentinel, Dec. 30, 2004).”

At that time, Dowd was also pursuing behind-the-scenes discussions with the Seneca Nation of Indians, who had earlier opened the Seneca Niagara Casino in Niagara Falls. He related that while the town was upbeat on the idea, it was also cautious. “The town was resistant” at first, said Dowd, pointing to such issues as town officials not favoring his housing proposals, and then questions over land issues. “They kept putting in restrictions … there were questions over how much land … they didn’t make it easy.”

‘A Great Step Forward’

As discussions moved into 2006 and favorable responses began to come from the Army Corps, the state Department of Environmental Conservation and other agencies, town came to agreement with Dowd and the Senecas, and plans were announced last March for an upscale championship-level golf course to be built by Seneca gaming interests. “Today finally marks the end of a long period of anticipation and hopefulness as to whether Lewiston will finally get its public course,” said Newlin (Sentinel, March 4, 2006).

With Monday’s groundbreaking, that much-discussed proposal is now turned reality.

“This was a project that was sought by every major community in Western New York because they know the substantial capital investment it meant,” commented Newlin.

Many Benefits

“Today we take a great step forward – developing a wonderful new project with our neighbors in the town of Lewiston,” added Seneca Nation President Maurice A. John Jr. “This is a first for the Senecas … to develop our lands.” Wholly owned by the Seneca Nation, the lands will remain on the tax rolls and are expected to generate an estimated $250,000-$312,000 in property taxes and more than $388,000 in sales taxes during its first year of operation.

Other major financial pluses for the project include:

•44 new jobs created with an approximate payroll of $1.4 million.

•A construction impact of between $11 million and $23 million, which includes construction of an upscale 15,000 square-foot clubhouse facility, expected to be in the $8 million range.

•As a private development, Hickory Stick will be a fully taxable operation after five years of existence.

•Its economic impact to Niagara County will be approximately $4.3 million, including an impact in excess of $3.3 million from an estimated 4,000 visitors each year who are expected to visit the course from across the Northeast, the Midwest and Canada, according to Seneca Gaming interests.

“We believe that Hickory Stick Golf Club won’t just compete with the high-end courses across the river and throughout New York state,” said Barry E. Snyder Sr., chair of Seneca Gaming. “We believe that Hickory Stick will stand above the competition as a destination.”

Top-notch Designer

Its designer, Robert Trent Jones Jr. Golf Course Architects of Palo Alto Calif., one of the best-known names in golf course design, has played a major role in the creation of 230 courses in 38 countries, which have played host to World Cups, USGA championships and PGA tour events. Jones, whose family hails from nearby Rochester, takes great pride in his role creating the Hickory Stick course. “We’re so happy to now be able to create a beautiful new golf course in Upstate New York,” says Jones. “This new creation … will last the test of time for all golf time.”

Dowd, who has maintained keen interest throughout the years, probably summed it up best when he commented, “Lewiston can truly be proud of its distinction of having the Senecas. They will create a true golfers’ destination for this town.”

In coming months, residents will see construction intensify and continue into 2008, when the building of the upscale clubhouse facility will begin. The course is expected to open for play at the start of the 2009 golf season.