ACHOA Shares ACHOA Member Letter dated Dec 31, 2014 which was also posted to the Voices to the Webmaster Page on Dec 31, 2014.

To the Pros and the Cons of the HOA potential purchase of The Club at ArrowCreek and the HOA,

I love ArrowCreek and I will probably vote yes on the proposition, at least that’s my thought right now. My problem is that I hate to see all the animosity and anger that is beginning to brew in ArrowCreek. It is getting worse instead of better. I think ArrowCreek has the potential to be the prime residential area in Reno. The people here are awesome. I love the folks I meet at the gym, walking the circle and surrounding streets, the golf club, all the social activities that I am involved in, etc.

Charlie (former owner of ArrowCreek) has run the golf club into the ground over the past 7 years. He went into bankruptcy in Jan. 2014 and several (apparently 36) friends and neighbors formed the Friends of ArrowCreek (FOA) by investing money. I know several of these folks, some have a lot of money and some do not. I do not have a list of these folks nor do I want one. I feel that it is none of my business where people invest their money as long as it’s legal. I don’t want people to know where I invest my money either (I am not an FOA investor). Some of the FOA have talked about the concern of how hostile the negative folks are and don’t want to be known for fear of retaliation. Several months ago the FOA proposed that the HOA buy the course, but the HOA does not move that fast and that is part of the reason that the FOA was formed and fought Charlie in court to win the club. A very comprehensive study was done earlier this year and I saw the presentation at an HOA meeting, it showed that the country club was important to our neighborhood, whoever owned it was irrelevant. The FOA never intended to run a golf club on a long term basis. This was a stop-gap or bridge loan to help save the club and preserve the value of our neighborhood until the HOA could/would purchase it (that was their hope). They have partnered with Arnold Palmer Golf Management to run the club. This would be a joint venture with the HOA. The Arnold Palmer group has been successful with similar ventures and the potential for profit is probable.

During the past few years as the club became less and less desirable, people left. They canceled their memberships, events had fewer attendees, and the place was beginning to get run down. I remember a realtor telling me that she didn’t want to show ArrowCreek properties to new clients because of the state of the club and the unknown as to whether or not it would stick around. Mind you I am sure they never turned anyone away that wanted to see ArrowCreek. ArrowCreek is marketed as a gated golf course community and should remain as such.

Both sides are using scare tactics and getting way too emotional. I understand being passionate about a subject but can’t we all be adults and respect each other’s opinions? Opinions are meant to be shared but not necessarily accepted. You will never get all the people on one side, it just isn’t possible. But what is really right for ArrowCreek? We don’t really know. We can only research, gather facts and make that decision on our own, not because someone brow beat us. Let’s share the same FACTS. Not myths. Not numbers that have been skewed by statistics, you can make a number anything you want it to be if you use the right formula. There is no house in Reno that has gone up 43% (per info from meeting at the residents club and on the website arrowcreek411.wordpress.com). I know there was an asterisk next to the 43% but no one looks at that. There was also talk about your home would become collateral if the HOA bought the course, well, you home already is collateral if you belong to the HOA, nothing changes there. Let’s not try to fool each other. Let’s come together and let the people of ArrowCreek decide what is best. Again, based on facts. The people here in ArrowCreek want their voices heard but they also want us to do this as adults as opposed to bickering politicians that slant everything to one side. I have heard from several on both sides of the fence about how ugly this fight is getting and it is pulling ArrowCreek apart. That is not what we want. Whatever vote prevails should not drive us to be divided as residents.

There was talk at one meeting about the Kool-Aid, don’t drink the Kool-Aid. I have a better idea; let’s not make the Kool-Aid to begin with!

Is there room for negotiation? Yes. The increase of dues by $99 is big. We have a lot of young families and $99 can really impact their budget. What are they getting for the increase? Since the club has been turned over to the FOA there seems to be a renewed excitement. Old members that left under Charlie’s regime have come back. Events are better attended, often to capacity. Maybe that increased dues number can be lowered to something more tolerable. Maybe offer more amenities to the residents for their increase. Maybe they get some limited golf rounds or reduced cost of play on both the Legend and the Challenge. Maybe if this club is successful enough we can get our HOA dues reduced. I don’t know the answer but let’s work together on it.

Could ArrowCreek really turn brown? Maybe. Charlie had the course on the market for 3-1/2 years and didn’t get any bites. The FOA and many residents are concerned that if the club does not become profitable soon then it may turn brown. Many of the investors are not prepared to put up any more money. If the FOA winds up bankrupt and had to walk away, then yes, the course will probably go brown. Will all of us do what we can to prevent that, I hope so. But it is a possibility and should not be presented as a threat or a myth, just a fact. The FOA are not interested in running the club without the HOA buy in. Without Arnold Palmer, the FOA is not experienced at running a club and if they are unable to sell in a reasonable amount of time, then it would be bad news for the courses. There are a lot of possibilities.

What happens to the club house? Will it sit empty? Broken windows, graffiti? Kids hanging out, drugs, drinking? Possible. Not a threat or a myth, but possible. We are a gated community but we are not as secure as some might think. You can drive in the back road, although you are not supposed to. We have approximately 20% renters in ArrowCreek. Many are here because they want to be in the school system. That means kids and kids with friends. Are most of them responsible, yes, I like to believe that. All of them? Probably not. That could mean anything, but no guarantees. We have had problems with graffiti and vandalism in the past. There have been break ins. Our community is not immune to the problems in society. The good news is we are out of the way so it helps to secure us just by location. If we are united we can minimize the troubles, but divided makes the risk that much higher. Keep on mind, in this scenario the HOA won’t own this property so it will not be patrolled or secured by our security.

ArrowCreek is the best place to live. Let’s not turn this into a civil war. This really is small stuff in the grand scheme of life, so let’s not sweat it. Let’s come together as the great community that we are and share our thoughts, concerns and facts. Let us all make the right decision for ourselves and for ArrowCreek based on the same facts not myths and scare tactics. Why do we have two camps? Why are we so divided? We should be one regardless of how we feel or wish to vote. There should be one shared web site. There should be unbiased meetings. How about a mediator? Unbiased mediator to run all organized meetings? Just my thoughts and concerns, but I don’t believe I am alone in these views.

Thank you,

Malcolm & Elizabeth Heaven