Lawsuit Delaying Announcement of LPGA Version of Pebble Beach Pro-Am

by Mulligan Stu on Nov 29, 2007 8:20 PM EST

If you look at the 2008 LPGA Tour schedule released a little while back, you'll notice a couple weeks still waiting to be filled in with details.

For example, the weekend of April 24-27 is on the schedule, with "South Florida" listed as the location and other details (such as the tournament name) "TBA." The purse, however, is listed at $2 million, which places this TBA tournament in the top half of LPGA purses.

Word has gotten out that what the LPGA has in store for this weekend is a celebrity pro-am tournament, ala the PGA Tour's Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

Sounds like a great idea to me. What's the hold-up in getting out the details?

The host course, according to a Miami Herald report, is the Fairmont Turnberry Isle resort, which has hosted the ADT Skills Challenge and recently completed a $30 million makeover of its two courses.

But the resort is facing a lawsuit. According to the plaintiffs, the resort was already booked on the weekend in question for a retreat, but kicked the conferees out in order to make room for the LPGA. From the Herald:

Before the LPGA's new South Florida stop could have its formal unveiling, the event has landed in court.

Organizers of an annual 10-day Passover vacation retreat at the Fairmont Turnberry Isle have sued the resort for breach of contract, alleging they are being kicked out to make room for the LPGA.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court, asks the court to uphold the contract. Some 500 Orthodox Jews from around the world are expected in Aventura for the retreat.

"This event has been promoted for a year and a half," said attorney David Freedman, who filed the suit on behalf of Presidential Holidays Southeast Inc.

"Most people have nonrefundable [airline] tickets for the event. ... Everyone needs to know what happened here."

Whoops.

Not just the resort, but the LPGA, too, is named in the lawsuit. The organizers of the retreat had a three-year contract with the resort, the final year of which is 2008. But the resort sent notification in October that it was canceling the deal, without offering an explanation.

The contract, according to the Herald, does give the resort the right to cancel, but only if "the retreat fails to meet its housing or financial obligations." And all those obligations have been met, retreat organizers say.

"They're not allowed to cancel for a better piece of business," one of the organizers told the Herald.

I'm excited to see a celebrity pro-am - something I don't care for on the PGA Tour - on the LPGA Tour, because it will likely raise the profile of this tournament. Something the LPGA needs.

But it sounds like the folks who thought they'd be heading to Turnberry Isle for the Passover vacation retreat are getting screwed.

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Comments

it seems like a simple thing...

...look at the book - "oops, sorry, we have a CONTRACT for that weekend. Can we schedule the golf tournament for another of your MANY open weekends ? We have plenty of good weather to go around here in Miami."

It does seem a bit odd to celebrate a high holy day like Passover (remembrance of the night god passed over the houses of Hebrews held captive in Egypt, while the first born of the Egyptians died) at a posh resort - but that's none of my business. Easter is pretty commercial, too.

I'm more wondering why the LPGA is pushing for a celebrity pro-am. One of the problems they have every week on pro-am days are the number of non-English speaking women on the tour who do not spend the time expected with the amateurs who pay to play with them. What is going to happen when some of the celebrities who are pretty good players outdrive their tour player? Are they going to limit the celebs to high handicappers ?

Stu - why don't you like Celebrity Pro-Am's on the PGA ? (just curious)

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Nov 30, 2007 9:48 AM EST reply actions