OVERVIEW

The 255 million dollar project was conceived according to Dr. David G. Bronner, CEO of RSA, to stimulate economic development in Alabama by: improving the quality of life and thereby making Alabama more attractive for industrial development; attracting more tourists (Alabama's number one industry); and attracting retirees.  Retirees provide income and assets for economic development and as a group pay more in taxes than they require in government services.  Alabama launched in 1988 the first state government sponsored effort to attract retirees.  There are 94 communities in Alabama that are actively recruiting retirees as new citizens.

This unprecedented growth in public golf is greatly enhancing Alabama's efforts to attract active older adults for their retirement, especially those that enjoy great golf at reasonable prices without expensive up-front membership fees.  Retirees that prefer living in quieter natural communities with attractive housing at affordable prices, yet want the experience of quality recreational amenities may find fulfillment around the "Trail".  Alabama's moderate four-season climate with mild winters and year-round golfing weather add to the attraction for these outdoor loving retirees.

Tourists can play a different course each day for two weeks and never play the same hole twice.  Each complex is within 15 minutes of an interstate highway and is within two hours of another complex.  Reasonable annual fees can be purchased which allow unlimited play at all the complexes.  Stretching from the Appalachian Mountains and lakes of north Alabama to the emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico, each course is uniquely different.  Some are hilly, some are flatter, some have plenty of water obstacles, and some have no water to play around.

One progressive feature of the "Trail" is the "Short Course" found at each complex.  "I took my favorite Par-3 holes, and reproduced them for these courses probably creating the finest collection of Par-3 holes in the world" said Mr. Jones.  These Short Courses, 9 holes at the 36-hole complexes and 18 holes at the 54-hole complexes have holes averaging 185 yards with multiple tee boxes, water hazards, sand and grass bunkers and large multi-level greens.  Golfers can play these courses for half the cost and half the time.

Other features are the signature clubhouses at each complex with wrap-around verandas providing spectacular views. Inside is a full-service dining room and bar, meeting rooms, pro-shop, and locker rooms.  State-of-the-art practice facilities and a training academy at each complex offer skill development for interested golfers.

As a group, the complexes are attractive to a wide variety of individual tastes and preferences for golfing experiences.  Each location has its own special mix of retirement amenities.  Each complex has its own individual environment associated with its specific location.  Tourists and retirees with distinct preferences can find their satisfaction if they take a closer look.  Alabama could become the next golfer and retiree haven.

QUICK TRAIL FACTS

• Host to the NIKE TOUR Championship, presented by Monarch Foodservice Distributors (1997-1999)

• Host to the BUY.COM TOUR Championship, presented by Monarch Foodservice (2000)

• Host to the Nationwide Tour Championship, Capitol Hill, 2003, 2004, and scheduled for 2005

• Host to the 1998 LPGA AFLAC Champions (1998-2001)

• Host to the Mobile LPGA Tournament of Championship, Magnolia Grove October 10-13, 2002, 2003, 2004.

• Host to the 1999 Jr. College National Championships – Highland Oaks, Dothan

• Host to the 2000 NCAA Men’s Division I National championship Grand National, Auburn/Opelika

• The Trail was named by Frequent Flyer Magazine as one of the world’s top 10 trips.

• 5 of the Trail’s facilities were listed in the top 50 facilities in the nations for service by Golf Digest.

*17 of the Trail’s courses rated were given 4 stars and above in the Golf Digest Places to Play 2004

• Named among the top 50 golf destinations in the world by Golf Digest

• The Senator Course at Capitol Hill named among the top new courses in the country by Golf Magazine.

• The Judge Course at Capitol Hill given a 5 out of a perfect 5 rating by readers of Golf Magazine.

• Alabama was named one of the top 10 destinations in the world for golf by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators.

SITE DESCRIPTIONS

Huntsville's 54-hole Hampton Cove complex is built on 650 acres in a natural bowl, with a panoramic mountain backdrop and a Scottish style layout for the Upper Course and a Hilton Head layout with ponds, a river, and creeks for the Lower Course.  These courses are located in the heart of a 3,000-acre residential development only minutes from downtown Huntsville, one of Alabama's oldest and more progressive cities.  Huntsville is an oasis of cultural attractions for the residents in the nearby smaller communities such as Guntersville.  The rural areas offer recreational lakes and small town attractions.  Huntsville offers excellent medical facilities, continuing educational opportunities, and regional transportation services.  Soon to open near this site is a retirement housing facility financed by RSA with 120 assisted living units, 120 independent living units, and 48 garden homes; all with 20,000 square feet of common living space for dining, fitness, and other recreational use.

Birmingham's 54-hole Oxmoor Valley complex is nestled around Red Mountain and Shades Mountain with the Ridge Course being hilly and having many downhill shots.  The Valley Course winds between the mountains with numerous creeks, lakes, and trees.  Jones had his choice of 600 acres from a privately owned 8,000-acre tract that will eventually be developed. Alabama's largest city, Birmingham is a business, health, cultural, and transportation center.  There are some of the best medical facilities in the world led by the famous University of Alabama Medical Center.  The surrounding independent small villages and towns provide attractive housing for retirees wanting quieter locations, yet easy access to urban amenities.  Recreational opportunities abound in the outlying counties with many fresh water lakes and other natural attractions. 

The 54-hole Grand National complex is located on 1,300 acres of majestic woodland in the Auburn/Opelika area of east central Alabama.  The courses surround a 600 acre lake with 32 holes bordering water on the gently rolling terrain.  Auburn University offers an abundance of cultural and educational programs including major college sporting events.  Opelika is a small historic city with uncommon cultural and recreational attractions as well as very reasonable housing opportunities.  The East Alabama Regional Medical Center presents excellent health care for the region and Atlanta is only 90 minutes away by interstate highway.  Opelika was ranked recently by Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine as one of the 6 top new communities for retirement.  The National Village is a new residential resort near the Grand National golf complex.

Mobile's 54-hole Magnolia Grove complex carves through 1,500 acres in the wetlands of Miller Park without disturbing the animals living on the 650 acres of golf.  There is a jungle environment with incredible elevation for a course in the Gulf Coast region of the state.  Mobile has trade, culture, education, and quality medical facilities for retirees.  Stately homes are found near the city in the adjacent suburban and rural communities.  The Mobile Bay and sugar-white beaches of the Alabama Gulf Coast highlight the recreational opportunities.

In southeast Alabama, Dothan's 36-hole Highland Oaks complex accents rolling hills with creeks and large moss-covered oaks.  These courses will allow play in open areas, around water, and in dense areas and are centered within a large planned residential community well-suited for retirees searching for more structured living.  Dothan is filled with the conveniences and amenities of larger cities, yet the friendliness of rural living.  Fort Rucker, the U.S. Army Aviation Center with full services for retired military personnel, is nearby as are gulf beaches, state parks, and Florida.  Dothan sponsors a flourishing civic ballet, concert association, and little theater group.  Reputable medical care with all specialties adds to the appeal for retirees.

Greenville, in south central Alabama just 32 miles south of Montgomery on I-65, is home to the 36-hole Cambrian Ridge complex.  These courses are found on a beautiful lake with hills and valleys wooded with forests of pine and hardwood.  The clubhouse is constructed on the highest point for miles and offers striking views of the fairways and entire area.  Plans are for housing suitable for retirees to be developed near the golf complex.  Historic Montgomery is easily accessible with its excellent health care, shopping, educational and cultural amenities, and regional transportation facilities.

Northeast Alabama's 36-hole Silver Lakes is located between Anniston and Gadsden near Jacksonville State University in Calhoun County.  A series of spring-fed lakes in rolling topography with pretty forests surrounded by gorgeous mountains make this site one of the most natural settings for a golf course.  A 500-acre planned residential community with 600 lots for large homes, mid-sized homes, garden homes, and golf cottages is developing around the golf complex.  This quiet setting has easy access to necessary health care, shopping, cultural, and transportation amenities.  The Talladega National Forest, the Coosa River, and Little River Canyon add to the natural attraction of this region.

Capitol Hill is located 10 minutes north of Montgomery on Interstate 65 in Prattville.  The Capitol Hill complex has 3 championship courses that play along a river and Cooter's Pond.  Capitol Hill has earned top-flight praise.  Golf magazine said The Judge Course is one of the 10 public courses in the country worthy of hosting the U.S. Open and ranked the Legislator as one of its Top 25 Worthy Newcomers. Capitol Hill’s three 18-hole championship courses offer more than 1,500 acres of golf and natural beauty.  There are spectacular views overlooking Montgomery on these courses and one course provides a traditional links layout.  Prattville has all of the retirement amenities including the quality housing at reasonable prices.  There is also easy access to the commercial, cultural, historical, recreational, health care, and transportation resources of Montgomery.  This site will be the "hub of the Trail" with quick access to Greenville, Auburn-Opelika, and Birmingham.  One could live in Prattville and have access to 198 holes of public world-class golf, reasonably priced within a one-hour drive.

The Shoals in Northwest Alabama on the Tennessee River has a 36-hole facility with a spectacular view from the clubhouse on a bluff overlooking Lake Wilson.  Travel and Leisure Golf has named “Fighting Joe” one of the top new courses in 2004 for good reason.  The second course, The Schoolmaster (named for President Woodrow Wilson who was responsible for getting Wilson Dam built on the River and who was known as The Schoolmaster of Politics), opened in Spring of 2005.  This tree lined course is more traditional golf with every hole in keeping with the natural topography along the Tennessee River. It is wooded, rolling, and spectacular.

The Grand Hotel Marriott, Golf Club, and Spa at Point Clear on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay has a 36-hole facility with two regulation 18-hole courses.  These courses are older designs but they are in the final stages of being totally rebuilt.  They have some of the most beautiful live oak trees on the gulf coast lining their fairways and greens.  The Grand Hotel is an historic resort that has been around since the civil war.  It has a spectacular view of Mobile Bay.  The older parts of the resort were restored and new rooms and a spa have been added.  There is a new housing complex by the RSA that is adjacent to the Grand Hotel.    

Ross Bridge in Hoover near Oxmoor Valley in Birmingham is a new 18-hole design.  Beautifully carved into the rolling terrain of Shannon Valley, these 18-holes will challenge even the best golfers.  The course meanders through indigenous landscape and around the new Renaissance Ross Bridge Hotel.  Symbolic of an old parkland style course, ten holes play along the banks of two significant lakes connected by a spectacular water fall dropping 80 feet between the ninth and eighteenth greens.  A gristmill added to the waterfall reflects the history of this old mining site.  Like many other Trail courses, the par three holes are incredible.  Considerable elevation change combines with water or other natural obstructions to get your attention.

RESORTS ALONG THE TRAIL

The Retirement Systems of Alabama has begun developing upscale resorts adjacent to the golf complexes on the Trail.  The hotels are known as the following: Auburn Marriott Opelika at Grand National in Auburn-Opelika; Montgomery Marriott Prattville at Capitol Hill in Prattville; Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa at the Shoals; The Battle House, A Renaissance Hotel in Mobile; The Renaissance Riverview Plaza Hotel in Mobile; Marriott’s Grand Hotel, Golf Club, and Spa at Point Clear and Montgomery Renaissance Hotel.    

Marriott’s Grand Hotel, Golf Club and Spa, recently refurbished to the tune of $40 million by RSA, offers 405 luxurious rooms, and a 20,000 square foot spa.  There is a beautiful outdoor pool under live oak trees with great views of Mobile Bay.  There is also a beach area on the site and a fishing peer.  An indoor pool, marina, and tennis facilities add to the recreational opportunities.  There are two full service restaurants and one bar that serve very good food.

Overlooking Wilson Dam on the Tennessee River, The Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa, provides 200 rooms.  There are two unique dining experiences; the full service restaurant and lounge overlooking the pool, and the revolving restaurant atop the 22-story Observation Tower, the tallest structure in the Shoals area.  The 6,000 square-foot full service Spa includes the latest in spa treatments and relaxation.  The outdoor theme pool offers a spectacular waterslide for children and the young at heart.

Just two miles from the existing Oxmoor Valley Golf Course in Birmingham, Ross Bridge is a eye - popping stopover on the Trail.  Ross Bridge is a 1,600-acre development in Hoover, a booming Birmingham sister city.  In addition to the golf course and hotel, the project includes residential and commercial development. The Daniel Corporation is developing the project with U.S. Steel, the City of Hoover, Jefferson County and Retirement Systems of Alabama.  The 260-room hotel is reminiscent of the grand hotels spawned by the Canadian railroads, such as Banff and Lake Louise.  This upscale hotel sits in the middle of a sprawling 18-hole Trail course that offers vistas at every turn.  Its three-level swimming pool, full service spa and 20,000 feet of meeting space makes Ross Bridge ideal for corporate meetings and golf getaways.  The Spa provides 12,000 square feet of skin care, hydrotherapy, massage and other beauty treatments.  There is a choice of dining experiences; a Club House sports bar, an elegant full service restaurant with display kitchen, lavish breakfast buffets, or a steak and sushi bar for dinner.

The Battle House, A Renaissance Hotel was once known as Mobile’s living room. All of Old Mobile held their elegant functions, debutante balls, Mardi Gras parties, at The Battle House, which first opened in 1852.  A string of dignitaries stayed at the Battle House in Mobile, once known as the “Athens of the South.”  Famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead, orator/statesman Henry Clay, President Millard Fillmore, General Ulysses Grant and Jefferson Davis, en route to become the first President of the Confederacy, stopped to take in the grace and grandeur of the old Battle House.  Its 240 rooms will evoke a blending of the old and the new, as it sits next to the soaring 35-story RSA Battle House Tower, the tallest building in Alabama, with world-class office space and a separate six-story parking garage. The rooftop of the Battle house complex will bustle with a fitness center and pool area, tennis courts, an outdoor bar, a 75-foot lap pool and an exercise center.  Battle house guests can dine in the full service, elegant Trellis room, see and be seen in the Royal Street Lounge and relax in the St. Francis Café and Diner.

Montgomery Marriott Prattville at Capital Hill has 95 rooms, two separate villas with central living rooms, pool tables and flat-screen TVs, as well as a 10,000 square foot Executive villa.  The Cottage has five suites, koi ponds, and a helipad.

The Montgomery Renaissance Hotel and Spa at the Convention Center is the newest downtown Montgomery hotel, with stunning architecture highlighted by modern amenities. Positioned in historic downtown, this magnificent hotel has over 140,000 of exhibit, meeting, and pre-function space under one roof, as well as a state-of-the-art Performing Arts Centre.  Comfort reigns supreme in each hotel room, offering the latest technological enhancements, such as LCD TVs, a wireless phone with touch screen, and a connectivity panel to integrate all electronic devices.  The lavish 9,000 square foot European Spa and the delectable Southern cuisine at The House offer great onsite amenities.

Auburn Marriott Opelika at Grand National now has 129 rooms, most overlooking the award-winning Grand National Golf courses and 15,000 square feet of meeting space.  The sate-of-the-art amphitheater is ideal for corporate meetings.

CONCLUSION

The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is an innovative project in a state with an improving reputation for quality of life.  Use of retirement funds to enhance retirement amenities and to create jobs is an interesting investment.  As Mr. Jones said having designed 600 courses around the world, "As a collection, these are the best golf courses anywhere in the world.”  Alabama offers a moderate 4-season climate with year-round golfing weather.

These courses provide quality golf at extremely reasonable prices.  There is great variety among the courses.  People that enjoy golf will find much fulfillment in their retirement years on these courses.  The associated resorts and restaurants add to the enjoyable experience of these complexes.  These facilities make Alabama very attractive to retirees that enjoy these types of activities.