Athletic Club Holdings Inc history

In early 1913, the already prominent Ohio Club merged with the ACC and the first clubhouse was headquartered in The Columbus Saving & Trust Building (now known as The Atlas Building.) Plans were immediately launched for the new home of the ACC on Broad Street.

The building was dedicated in 1915, to much fanfare and the facade has seen very little change since its opening.

ClubCorp acquires the legendary Firestone Country Club in Akron, OH. Firestone Country Club was established in 1929 by Harvey Firestone and hosts the World Golf Championships – NEC Invitational (known today as the Bridgestone Invitational).

The Washington Athletic Club opened its doors on December 16, 1930.

Helene Madison was the WAC’s first Olympic athlete, winning three gold medals in swimming at the 1932 games.

Less than 20 years later the Club expanded once again, adding another eight stories onto the 1955 addition.

1957 ClubCorp is founded by Robert H. Dedman Sr. on November 11, and construction begins on Brookhaven Country Club in the Farmers Branch suburb of Dallas.

In 1960, the club launched an ambitious facilities expansion program that proceeded in phases over the next 15 years.

1966 The Lancers Club, ClubCorp’s first business club, opens at the top of the LTV Tower in downtown Dallas.

1968 The University Club of Jacksonville, FL, ClubCorp’s first business and sports club, is built to answer the growing interest in fitness and health by combining a state-of-the-art athletic facility with the ambience and personalized service of a city club.

Founder Emigrates to America in 1978

He decided to continue working for Nautilus Swim rather than pursue a career in engineering and in 1983 was sent to Minneapolis-St Paul to launch the chain's first facility outside of Colorado.

He directed site selection, development, and sales and operation as the company added three locations in 1984.

1986 Private Clubs magazine is launched as a vehicle for communicating with Members and reflecting Members' interests and experiences.

In 1990, the number of health club members in America totaled ten million, and over the course of the next decade that figure would triple to 30.5 million people.

1992: The first club opens.

Late in 1994, Life Time, focusing on the suburbs of Minneapolis-St Paul, opened its second club, located in Egan, Minnesota, which contributed partially to the $4 million in revenues the company posted for the year.

The third club, in Woodbury, Minnesota, opened in the fall of 1995, and the chain made plans to establish another four units in Roseville, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, and Coon Rapids.

In 1996, Life Time forged such a relationship, the first of its kind in the United States, with the city of Plymouth, Minnesota, in conjunction with the local school district.

In 1998, FCA Ltd. changed its name to Life Time Fitness, Inc. to help build the brand.

1999 ClubCorp offers the first Gold program, providing golf and dining benefits with access to a worldwide network – a distinguishing benefit of the ClubCorp model.

2000: Life Time enters the Chicago market.

2002 ClubCorp opens Bear’s Best Las Vegas, a unique, daily fee golf course concept featuring hole replications of designs by golf legend Jack Nicklaus.

That amount would grow to $256.9 million in 2003, and the company would record net income of $13.6 million.

The chain was 35 units strong by July 2004, with four centers in Texas scheduled to open in winter 2004 and others in the development stage.

2005 ClubCorp hosts the United States Open at Pinehurst; and University of Massachusetts Club opens.

2006 Supporting a commitment to managing family-friendly clubs, ClubCorp and The Clubs of Kingwood, in Houston, introduce one of the first family-friendly golf courses including kids’ golf programs, kid golf cars and four-seater family golf cars.

2007 ClubCorp holds its inaugural Charity Classic golf and dining event, raising in excess of $1.6 million for MDA’s Augie’s Quest and the Employee Partners Care Foundation.

2009 ClubCorp launches the Dallas-Fort Worth Young Executive Membership, providing young executives and their families an unprecedented level of access to a network of 10 private clubs across the DFW Metroplex.

2010 ClubCorp acquires The Country Club of the South in Georgia.

In 2011, the club established an archival program to organize the historical holdings, provide support for various history projects, develop changing displays with historical content, and build the collections.

2012 ClubCorp adds Mission Hills Golf Club & Resort in China to its network of properties in its reciprocal access program, expands its club management portfolio with LPGA International and Hollytree Country Club, and acquires Hartefeld National.

1 on Golf Inc. magazine’s 2014 “Most Powerful People in Golf” list.

Eric Affeldt tops Golf Inc.’s 2015 “Most Powerful” list for second year in a row.

2016 ClubCorp expands in Jacksonville, Florida with acquisition of Marsh Creek Country Club; acquires Santa Rosa Golf & Country Club in Sonoma County, California and Heritage Golf Club near Columbus, Ohio; and announces deal to manage the China-US SkyClub in NY One World Trade Center.

2017 ClubCorp celebrates the 60-year anniversary of its founding and expands into two new states with the acquisition of Eagle's Nest Country Club in Phoenix, Maryland and Norbeck Country Club in Rockville, MD, and Medina Golf & Country Club in Medina, Minnesota.