Arlington Hts. country club selling to national chain

After 90 years as an exclusive private club, Rolling Green Country Club in Arlington Heights is being sold to ClubCorp, a national country club group that may bring upgraded amenities and much lower prices.

The sale is expected to be finalized next week, said Ted Stanaszek, a member of Rolling Green's board of directors.

A spokeswoman for Dallas-based ClubCorp wouldn't comment Friday on the acquisition until it was finalized. The company owns and operates more than 200 private golf and country clubs around the country, according to its website.

"The market has shifted for country clubs," Stanaszek said. "For the kinds of facilities and amenities that customers are looking for today, private clubs struggle to deliver that at a price point that's affordable."

Stanaszek said that as Arlington Heights attracts more young families, the private club model is less attractive, especially in a town with such strong park district facilities.

Rolling Green was approached by ClubCorp in June and in a recent vote, 90 percent of Rolling Green's members supported the sale. All 225 members of Rolling Green will be moved over to the new management.

ClubCorp just acquired its first club in the Chicago suburbs last week - Ravinia Green Country Club in Riverwoods - and also owns two clubs in downtown Chicago.

"We see this as nothing but upside," Stanaszek said. "We're very excited. This is a way to keep this place thriving and also bring in a lot of fresh new faces."

Stanaszek wouldn't comment on what Rolling Green charges for membership but said ClubCorp will be less expensive.

"The initiation fees will be less and the monthly dues will definitely be less," he said.

Stanaszek said ClubCorp has committed to spend $1.5 million in the first two years on capital improvements at Rolling Green including upgrades to the restaurant, pool, fitness center and clubhouse.

Selling to a country club company is also a good way to keep the more than 115-acre property as green space rather than developed as commercial, he said.

"The last thing Arlington Heights needs is more townhouses and shopping centers," Stanaszek said. "We think the green space and family atmosphere the country club has provided for 90 years is fantastic and we want to keep that going for another 90 years."