Construction continues at Wellsgate subdivision on Tuesday.
Photo by Vince Davis | The Daily Mississippian
The Lafayette County Board of Supervisors has turned down a request for resort status to serve alcohol at the Goose Creek Club of Oxford.
Barney Chadwick, general manager of the Goose Creek Club, said this is just part of the process.
“We expected to be turned down by the supervisors,” Chadwick said. “Both Caste Hill and the Ravine got turned down 5-0 by the supervisors, and they went the next step and got their petition.”
The Goose Creek Club, located at the end of Anderson Road across from the east Wellsgate community entrance, is set to open at the beginning of 2014 according to Chadwick. The 10,000-square-foot clubhouse will include clay tennis courts, a swimming pool, a fitness center and a restaurant. There will also be personal trainers for tennis players, and the club will host swim competitions for members and neighboring clubs.
Lafayette County is wet for alcohol and wine but dry for beer. State law mandates that for a restaurant or other establishments to sell alcohol, they must be within city limits.
The Department of Revenue will ultimately decide the issue, but part of the application process is to appear before the local governing board to request a letter of support.
The board of supervisors has traditionally voted against resort status requests.
Chadwick’s next step is to apply for resort status with the state. He will also need 100 signatures in support of the resort status from neighbors and then need to submit his request to the Mississippi Department of Revenue.
Chadwick said they are mainly focused on the rest of the process since gathering the signatures will be easy.
“We have 175 members so we already have at least half of the signatures. We are currently working on the letter of support.”
Jacqueline Burdette, a member of the Goose Creek Club, moved to Oxford a couple years ago and was surprised to find that there was no club where she and her family could swim and play tennis. She was even more surprised that alcohol was not allowed at places like this.
“It would be nice to be able to relax and have a drink with your friends after a tennis match,” Burdette said. “Most clubs I’ve gone to in the past served alcohol. It’s just part of a club.”
Chadwick made it clear the club’s intention is not to build an exclusive bar, but instead offer alcohol as an addition to a meal or after a workout for members.
“This is a family-oriented club. We aren’t expecting to stay open late,” Chadwick said. “This is simply complementing the restaurant.”
-Randall Haley
arhaley@go.olemiss.edu
