News and notes from Reston (tm).

Friday, September 21, 2012

Caddyshackpocalypse Now: 'The Quiet Company' Behind Not-So-Quiet Golf Course Redevelopment Plans

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Hey golf redevelopment fans! What's new on the links this week? Our BFFs at Rescue Reston held a press conference yesterday where they revealed that the shadowy force behind the proposal to redevelop Reston National Golf Course is none other than Northwestern Mutual Life -- better known as "the quiet company."
A land records search shows that the 2005 investor group that purchased the 166-acre golf course is is RN Golf Management, which is part of RestonOaks Golf LLC, which is part of Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company of Wisconsin, says Rescue Reston executive director John Pinkman.

"We feel it is important for our community to know who is calling the shots," Pinkman said at a news conference at Reston Association headquarters. "Northwestern Mutual is a huge company with many facets."

Pinkman said that Rescue Reston embarked on the records search because it seemed odd that RN Golf Management, a "thriving, profitable recreational enterprise, would then decide to build homes."

"It seemed to us that there were investors behind the golf course who were not specifically associated with the course," said Pinkman. "We wondered why that entity was hidden."
Let's state the obvious: this is not particularly good news -- a giant investment firm could care less about the merits of recreational facilities, green space, master plans, or the impact of redevelopment on a community. Which, in turn, means that the court of public opinion could amount to precisely squat, and that Rescue Reston and others were right to seek recourse in the courts of law from the get-go.

On the bright side, the Action McNews Team sent "Sky9," whatever that is, to capture some stunning aerial photos of Reston National Golf Course as part of their Action McNews Team on Your Side coverage, so you know this story has now officially become a Big Deal:


The best part? Representatives of the property owners "hung up on our reporter." We probably would have too!

Below is footage from the press conference itself.


Hum your own Warren Zevon tune if it helps.

6 comments:

  1. That is a hellacious version of Lawyers, Guns and Money. Never knew David Sanborn had a show. You could even sing 'the shit has hit the fan' on that show. Nice.

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  2. Rescue Reston spent money on attorneys to pull copies of LLC records that are freely available from the state???!!!

    There's no deep mystery to uncovering the manager/members/partners of an LLC. This is an example of a lawyer getting paid the big bucks for work peformed by mentally challenged paralegal.

    There was a Law & Order episode from years ago about a sleazy shark that was conning people out of their money to supposedly locate monies stolen from them by another con man. In other words, the best mark is an idiot that's already been dupped.

    I can't wait for Reston Rescue's lawyers to advise them that according to land development records there may in fact be soil underneath the grass of the golf course. That report will be good for least 150 billable hours.

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  3. Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are totally rich? Dang, who knew! That's some hard-hitting news from Sky9...

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  4. It will be turned into another Shadowood for Queen Cathy to protect!

    My God, we have the 47 percent to care for, and no better place than a coven used by the 53 percent. -

    They surely don't want to live in Shadowood -- that's way, way too trailer trash for them and Queen Cathy!

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  5. BOHICA, Bro's and Sis'. RNC is about to get PWN3D by NWMLI.

    I wonder how quickly we can become a municipality of any sort. That is going to be the only way to stop these money grubbing idiots.

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  6. David Sanborn has the most amazing hair ever.

    I have watched that particular rendition of Lawyers Guns and Money about 20 times thanks to this filthy web-log.

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