When Steve Smith bought the remote Big Bend town of Lajitas in 2000, he dreamed of building a lush, five-star retreat that would attract the likes of Tiger Woods and Tom Cruise . Dallas' Robert E. Lee Statue Has Landed at Black Jack's Crossing Near Over one million acres of public land including Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park offer hiking, camping, river running, horse riding, mountain bicycling, birding, jeep touring, and abundant sightseeing opportunities on paved and improved roads. Hitting golf balls can be frustrating and it often feels like youre never making any [], Do Golf Balls Float? This is a question that has been asked by many people and it is a very valid question. Lajitas Golf Resort - Jobs - The Ultimate Big Bend Experience Working at Lajitas Golf Resort | Glassdoor [5] [24] He also owns an 8,000-acre ranch near Cherokee, Texas, [5] the 20,000-acre Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa in Lajitas, Texas, [25] and a private island near Roatn, Honduras. It has been called America's weirdest golf resort, a spiritual ), 7+ Great Girls Trips in Texas (Weekend Getaway Ideas! And frankly, I dont think Smith even knows. Lajitas Golf Resort 1,061 reviews #1 of 1 resort in Lajitas Review Save Share 21701 FM 170, Lajitas, Big Bend National Park, TX 79852-5015 1 (877) 525-4827 Visit hotel website E-mail hotel Check In / / Check Out / / Guests Contact accommodation for availability. just about 9,000 residents and a per capita income of about $15,000. Remote Lajitas Golf Resort -- which sits very near the Mexican border, some 470 miles west of San Antonio -- is the kind of place where the tee sheet never gets too stacked. been a thorn in the side of the community," Mr. Leslie said. braided. And the recollection of that night is one of the reasons there will be no pour-out on the porch for the death of Smiths vision. [11] The Robert E. Lee on Traveller statue is on display at the resort. [2][3][4][6] He has been the co-chairman and co-CEO of Energy Transfer Partners since 2007. information click here [1] His father worked as a field hand for Sun Pipeline, a company now owned by Warren. When I bought the Ghost Town, I wanted to make it a place you needed to go to if you were in Big Bend. I think he was just writing checks.. The high bid at days end was $13.5 million, but the bidder, who wished to remain anonymous, hadnt offered enough money to pay all the creditors, and no deal was reached. Front Desk: (432) 424-5000 Warren also serves as chairman of the general partner of Energy Transfer Equity. CANDELILLA CAFE, Lajitas - Restaurant Reviews, Photos - Tripadvisor Make no mistake, desert life is hard, and the sacrifices required are made hourly. Projects were undertaken with designs drawn over lunch on place mats. 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Whats Up With All the Kangaroos on the Loose in Texas? How Florence ButtNot Her SonLaunched the H-E-B Empire, H-E-Bs True Texas BBQ Restaurant Is Slipping, Jimmy Carters Peanut-and-Egg Taco Made Quite the Impression on San Antonians. There was laughter from the table but not from the waitress. Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa, A 4-star hotel in Lajitas, Texas Some other rich guy desiring a private playground. Find Lajitas Resorts and Resort Rentals. ocotillo plants. During sudden storms, their power will go out, and theyll be trapped wherever they are, the roads made impassable by flashing creeks trying to find the Rio Grande. "Head out to the tee whenever y'all want," was the refrain from the golf shop on this idyllic, sunny Tuesday morning in April. But the desert has always had a way of withering material Lajitas is on the western edge of Big Bend National Park in southwestern Brewster County. "I still think it could be something special," the 52-year-old Lajitas, Texas: A Big Bend Country Ghost Town (Turned Resort) The resort's unique destination is rich in Old West history. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had a population of 75 in 2010. Carmichael, California, United States. Due to the closing of the Terlingua quicksilver mines, the number of residents in Lajitas had dwindled to four. [2][3][6] From 1981 to 1992, he worked for Endevco. It brings a satisfaction, not of beating the desert but of surviving it. [19] surrounding land that include an old mercury mining town and hunting the rich never came in large numbers. Its sad. "I'm telling you. In 2015, Governor Greg Abbott of Texas appointed Warren to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. We also have an email out to Warren. Warren said Thursday looking about. In Rexs time Lajitas consisted of the trading post and an old cavalry post that was used as a hunting lodge, and Rex met Mischer when he came out for deer and dove hunts. Yes there are several natural hot springs located on the resort property. It was closed temporarily in 1910, reopened in 1916, and closed permanently in 1939. Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa 100 Main St, Terlingua, TX 8.2 Very Good 608 reviews How we verify reviews 10 - Excellent 273 8 - Good 206 6 - Okay 78 4 - Poor 39 2 - Terrible 12 8.7/10 Cleanliness 8.6/10 Staff & service 8.0/10 Amenities 8.0/10 Property conditions & facilities 8.2/10 Eco-friendliness 8/10 Good Christopher Jan 5, 2023 For Patricia Sharpe writes a regular restaurant column, Pats Pick, for Texas Monthly. I formerly head the sports department at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. In 2000, when the property went up for auction, Mr. Smith When the mines in nearby Terlingua closed in the 1940s, though, Lajitas also became a ghost town, with an estimated population of 4. In the late 1890s quicksilver was discovered near Terlingua, eleven miles from Lajitas, and a rapid influx of people followed. About 10 minutes later, Ms. Ryan appeared down the road, clad Lajitas Golf Resort is an unexpected and fascinating oasis in the middle of the vast desert that makes up much of Big Bend Countryand today, Lajitas Golf Resort is nearly simultaneous with the town of Lajitas, TX. I was writing a story that would run in the May 2002 issue of Texas Monthly on Smiths vision for Lajitas: the creation of a world-class, five-star golf resort and an exclusive development for multimillion-dollar vacation homes. The wild spirit of the Big Bend region is in full effect at this stunning course whose name pays tribute to U.S. Army Gen. John "Black Jack . Black Jack's Crossing Instead, a San Antonio law firm opened one of its large conference rooms to groups representing six would-be buyers, the interested and the curious. A variety of guided outdoor activities are available. A private buyer shipped it to a Lajitas golf course owned by oil and gas billionaire Kelcy Warren almost exactly two years since the Confederate General was pulled from its perch in what was then Lee Park. [17], The Kelcy Warren Foundation supports the Caddo Lake Institution, an organization with the mission of protecting the ecological, cultural and economic integrity of Caddo Lake and its associated wetlands and watershed. It is the kind of place where, after a few drinks, youre apt to forget that there are any rules at all. Wisely, he decided to move the party up the highway to what was then the only other bar near Terlingua, La Kiva. Brings new meaning to the phrase Sunday Funday. She also had no way of knowing about the rest of the nights events. The Big Bend is not the kind of place you want to drive through and look out your window at, Ivey continued. the handmade home of Collie Ryan. Had he really sprayed a compound on the ground in front of the Lajitas boardwalk that would keep dust from kicking up? And hell, thats the appeal!, Linda Walker, who has run the Lajitas Stables for more than twenty years, guiding horseback tours near the park and into Mexico, is not rich. lavished $100 million to turn the property into an exclusive refuge for We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. The store itself was stacked deep with every conceivable necessity, from bulk beans and flour to appliances, auto parts, clothes, and ranch supplies. Be aware that cell phones may inadvertently change to Mountain Time and cause you to be an hour behind schedule. You cannot mess with that country. He has They were then removed from the area by the Apache and Comanche tribes in the 18th and 19th centuries. As he walked off I noticed that he was stooped and relying on a cane. For more flight Lajitas is an unincorporated community in Brewster County, Texas, United States, near the Big Bend National Park. [5] It is a nonprofit event to raise money for children's charities and local public service organizations. Dallas businessman Kelcy Warren believes he can. Holmes did not return a call about the donation. They died. When he decided to sell, Smith, a 54-year-old Austin-based telecommunications tycoon, showed up unannounced and unknown, stepping out of his helicopter just before the auction began to buy Lajitas on a whim for $4.25 million. [2][3][4] He also serves as member of the management council of ETP Enogex Partners LLC, co-CEO of ETC OLP, co-CEO and co-chairman of La Grange Energy and of US Propane LLC. If it didnt work out, Smith would just hire somebody else to start over. As an Amazon Associate, Lone Star Travel Guide earns from qualifying purchases. Lajitas General Store and Deli Thirsty Goat Saloon Pizza Menu Thirsty Goat Menu To make dinner reservations in The Candelilla restaurant, call 432-424-5032 Candelilla Cafe Offering an Interesting Twist on Traditional Tex Mex Cuisine Candelilla Caf Hours of Operation 7 am - 10 pm Daily Voted #4 Course You Can Play in Texas Golfweek Magazine. The answer, as it turns out, is a little bit of both. From 1996 to 2000, Warren served as a director of Crosstex Energy, Inc. and from 1993 to 1996, he served as president, chief operating officer and a director of Cornerstone Natural Gas, Inc. Warren has more than 25 years of business experience in the energy industry. The Big Bend area is in Central Standard Time. On the banks of the Rio Grande between Big Bend national and The border then seemed about forty miles wide and mixed like the sounds in a Doug Sahm song, half-Mexican, half-white, with nobody too worried about which half was which. The first is the effect of the arid Big Bend environs, of the baking sun, beating winds, and unrelenting dust. I had been down in South County reporting for that story on the new Lajitas (and in my defense, Id not participated in the pool). Beasley doesnt seem concerned about any controversy. Who Owns Lajitas Golf Resort by Joshua|Published August 25, 2019 The Lajitas Golf Resort is a full-service golf resort and spa located in the Big Bend region of West Texas. Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa in Terlingua - Orbitz It's a quick trip to Terlingua for other dining options, although we had breakfast at, The morning of our second day we explored the. The three-hundred-yard walk to dinner that night was unlit and took me through a construction pit, and the meal for me and my friend at the gourmet Ocotillo was decent but blandthe venison chop, snapper filet, and rattlesnake cake all tasted like their sauce. Farming along the floodplain caused an even further boom, causing Lajitas to build a store, a saloon, and a custom house in 1912. Lajitas resort avoids foreclosure with bankruptcy court filing RV park, where he says it used to take a $100,000 membership to stay. Still, when the sun sets each night, when the dry desert air turns gold and the clouds go from white to purple to orange to gone and a desert rat can put himself to sleep by counting stars, that hard life is worth it. If you click through a link on Lone Star Travel Guide, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. "misery ground into the walls. But the place could be friendlier to residents on this side of the river. Some links throughout this site are affiliate links. The town hadnt changed a whit when he got out of college and took a job with new owner Mischer in 1977, except for the recent introduction of electricity and a regular telephone line. to the community and about music. The Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa is a 20,000-acre golf resort business in Lajitas owned by Texas businessman Kelcy Warren, who bought the resort from previous owner Steve Smith while the business was going through financial distress. Young as he was, that was surprising, so when he returned, I asked him how somebody with such a hard time getting around wound up in a job as physically demanding as carpentry. [11], In 2022, he ranked No. Owner is the CEO of Energy Transfer. This indicates he was in the lowest 20% of billionaires rated. One part Texas frontier town, and one part golf resort, Lajitas is 100% pleasure. Employment Opportunities it made people feel nervous," she said. money and support her songwriting. Down in South County, where the economy desperately needs Lajitas to remain open, locals hoped that whoever bought the resort would scale back the dream, place it somewhere between the best plans of Mischers and Smiths. Restaurant Manager; Facilities. Our automated scheduling system is available 24/7. At first, we only knew the buyer by his online auction nameLawDude. across the river. Its just spectacular.. He loves it out west. Commerce was interrupted by Pancho Villa and his bandits, bringing John J. Pershing and his troops to establish a cavalry post there in 1916. Suite 2100 Earlier this year, Mr. Smith's dream officially ended in 10 or more click here, Traveler rating: 7.0 Ms. Ryan said the area is like a space station, big and Lajitas Golf Resort. The resort features an 18-hole golf course a luxury hotel and a variety of amenities and activities for guests to enjoy. [7] The construction of the park cost about $90 million. The Lajitas area was then bought by Rex Ivey, Jr., who brought electricity to the community in 1949 and sold part of it to Walter M. Mischer, a Houston entrepreneur and owner of Mischer Corporation. Fast forward another few decades, though, and Lajitas, TX experienced a curious twist of fate: a corporation from Houston bought the entire town, restored most of the buildings, and turned it into a resort for golfers and visitors exploring Big Bend Country. Still, Dennis struck me as an odd person to be championing the resorts willingness to act without a game plan. The highest recorded temperature at the resort is 120 degrees Fahrenheit. I have stayed here several times before I knew who the owner was. nine-hole golf course, in addition to the thousands of acres of Lajitas Golf Resort - The Ultimate Big Bend Experience [6], Lajitas is located on the eastern end of the Big Bend Ranch State Park. According to my minder, it was a place where we could get away from the snobs at the Starlight. travelers to these 25,000 acres of Chihuahuan desert on the fringes of question. Saying Goodbye to Fairfield Lake State Park, Miniature Cattle Have Ambled Into Our Hearts and Onto Our Modest Acreages. Sitemap. Its previous owner, Austin multimillionaire Steve Smith, And there was one other significant problem. No spam, ever. The party was large, maybe ten men and women, all drinking. The second day was to be spent on the Ambush, the only course Smith ended up building. Im a sports expert and lover. And he managed to build and landscape some beautiful facilities. Our resort in West Texas is set among . Review. [5], In 2020 Warren acquired Castletown Cox house and estate in County Kilkenny, Ireland for 12.6m. Six beautiful tennis courts were built, then ripped up. [12], Frank Q. Dobbs directed his first film, Enter the Devil, in Lajitas in 1972. [13], In 2007, he co-founded an independent record label, Music Road Records, with Jimmy LaFave and Fred Remmert. Pizzeria Attendant / Barista; F&B Management. Whether you want to go horseback riding, golfing, hiking, or rafting on the Rio Grande, Lajitas Resort can put something together for you. Nearly every living thing a desert dweller encountersbe it plant, bug, or beastis capable of drawing blood. Good, 21701 FM 170 Lajitas, Texas 79852 The deal was complete, except for a few papers that remained to be The people in Lajitas now know nothing about the place or its past at all. The Big Bend is named for the vast curve of the Rio Grande in remote southwest Texas. On the Wide Plains West of Lubbock, a Chainsaw Carver Works From an Old Cotton Gin, Texas Lege Watch: A House Republican Fights for Chicken Freedom, Family Memories Echo Through an East Texas Shoe Shop, Texas Monthly Recognized by ASME in the 2023 National Magazine Awards, Our Guide to Johnson City, Where You Can Stroll to Wineries and Museums. They talked about reopening the border crossing, reaching out [5][24] He also owns an 8,000-acre ranch near Cherokee, Texas,[5] the 20,000-acre Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa in Lajitas, Texas,[25] and a private island near Roatn, Honduras. STD Testing Centers Lajitas, TX " 800-221-4291 50% of job seekers rate their interview experience at Lajitas Golf Resort as positive. natural gas transportation company Energy Transfer Partners. NYSE:ETP, By Paul Meyer, The Dallas Morning The Lajitas Museum, which contained artifacts from the Big Bend area, was located just east of Lajitas. [8], He lives in Preston Hollow, Dallas[5] on an 8+ acre estate on Park Lane valued at more than $30 million. Our 27,000 acre Texas resort is famous for its solitude, natural beauty and rugged desert environment. Born in Gladewater, Texas, Warren grew up in White Oak, Texas, the youngest of four sons of Hugh Brinson Warren and Bertie Lee Kirby. But he couldnt play a full eighteen holes because much of the back nine was underneath the overflowing river. The piece was made in 1935, well after the end of the Civil War, and depicts Lee on his horse alongside another Confederate soldier. But it wasnt. Lajitas Golf Resort is open Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun. When I met him for a quick lunch in Alpine in October, his memories of the old store grew the conversation to two hours. During droughts, people will live on water saved in rooftop rain-catchment systems, showering and flushing the toilet once a week. property, Mr. Warren plans a largely hands-off approach. The contraband would be returned at a reception when they arrived. And the people. For the American football player, see, "Executive Profile - Energy Transfer Partners - Kelcy L. Warren", "List of Public Companies Worldwide, Letter - Businessweek", "Inside Kelcy Warren's Dallas Mansion - WSJ", "College of Engineering at The University of Texas at Arlington", "Kelcy Warren emerges as one of Dallas' bold new philanthropists", "These Billionaires Received Taxpayer-Funded Stimulus Checks During the Pandemic", "The New Forbes Philanthropy Score: How We Ranked Each Forbes 400 Billionaire Based On Their Giving", "John Fogerty, Lyle Lovett, Bruce Hornsby, Jimmy LaFave put on a killer show on Kelcy Warren's ranch in the Texas Hill Country", "Why Kelcy Warren Named a Park For His Son", "Million-Dollar Donors in the 2016 Presidential Race", "Dakota Access pipeline company and Donald Trump have close financial ties", "The Texas Electric Grid Failure Was a Warm-up", "Stealth billionaire lays claim to Woodall Rodgers park naming rights", "Lajitas Resort: Why you better go now - El Paso Inc.: Publishers Column", "REVEALED: One of world's wealthiest men buys Kilkenny mansion for 12.6m - Kilkenny Now - Your City.