The Role of Your Construction Manager in Reducing Club Renovation Risk
Tower Club - Post Renovation
Country club management is a demanding job, yet many club owners and operators don’t see the harm in adding construction management responsibilities to their role as well. When the time comes to undertake a major renovation process, club managers may expect to manage the design and construction process, consultants, and member expectations on top of their already busy schedules.
However, construction management can be its own full-time job. Asking club managers to juggle two jobs at once can open the renovation process to a higher risk of delays. Briefly postponing decision-making can lead to significant delays that derail project schedules and drive up budgets. Country clubs can reduce these risks – and create an altogether more successful construction experience – by hiring a construction manager.
The role of a construction manager is to support the club owner and operator in making decisions and coordinating all partners and parts of the process. With the right partner, one experienced in country club design and operations, clubs will find they are empowered to make better decisions and are more easily able to pivot in the face of unexpected challenges. This expert partner can help reduce the impact of construction on club operations, help members and other stakeholders feel that they are part of the process, and set the stage for successful outcomes.
The role of a construction manager in your project’s success.
Central to the role of a construction manager is the ability to coordinate the multitude of details that need to be handled to bring a complex project to fruition. This includes steps like sequencing a project to keep the club running during renovation and bringing tradespeople on-site at the appropriate time. For a country club, that coordination can be fairly complex, as it spans elements well beyond architecture to potentially include work on golf courses, pools, and hardscaping, among other elements.
A country club may feel like an extension of the home, but owners and operators know their club brings together a far more complex combination of elements. Not every construction manager will understand that. A construction manager who holds country club-specific experience is more likely to recognize the integration of parts required here. This begins with securing input on design and construction sequencing from all stakeholders: staff managers across food and beverage, golf, retail, and events, as well as members.
“You've got to have these voices involved lockstep along the way, but it's our job just to push the process forward,” says Travis Arbogast, owner, and principal of Travis West Development, a firm with more than 20 years of experience managing capital investments for country clubs.
Trying to include input from this wide range of stakeholders can be overwhelming. In pursuit of satisfying everyone, club owners and operators risk seeing the costs of renovation exceed the budget. Managing this expensive scope creep is another area where a construction manager can prove indispensable.
Brookhaven Country Club - Pre-Transformation
Brookhaven Country Club - Post Transformation
“Everybody wants everything,” Arbogast says. “You've got people representing tennis and golf as well as food and beverage. You’ve got your 30-somethings, your older members, and your families with kids. You’re managing all of these competing interests and there's only so much money to go around.”
A construction manager with expertise in country clubs may be better prepared to assist with prioritizing the most impactful investments that best reflect the club’s unique niche. And for Arbogast, “The fun is trying to solve for the needs of all of those different folks who are going to use the club and make it an environment where everyone feels welcome.”
A construction manager is also going to help with prioritization during the construction process. Every major renovation will demand that club managers make numerous decisions on any given day. While owner input is essential, a construction manager can help determine which decisions demand immediate attention and which can be delayed without impacting the schedule.
Early involvement is essential.
At its most effective, the role of a construction manager begins well in advance of the design stage. There are numerous decisions to be made about your renovation before an architect is brought on board.
For example, a construction manager can help determine how the project might impact fees or otherwise secure funding. A construction manager can support a club through a feasibility study, conceptual design, and the selection of an architect with club-specific experience. This expert can also help assemble a team of consultants and contractors with relevant expertise that works well together. With this guidance, a club can more effectively set the project up for success.
Of course, making the appropriate selections among partners depends upon a construction manager’s experience in leading country club renovations.
“Having that club experience is key,” Arbogast has found. “You can be great at designing offices or retail or even other forms of hospitality, but clubs are different. They have their own nuance.”
Constellation Club - Pre-Transformation
Constellation Club - Post Transformation
That club-specific expertise can also help construction managers pivot when the unexpected inevitably arises on a job. Virtually every renovation will face surprises, but the right construction manager not only adapts but also educates and informs the members so that they understand the changes and feel part of the process.
Thiel & Team have seen on countless projects how partners that understand the nuances of country club operations are better positioned to accomplish club goals. We’ve seen firsthand how the right construction manager can enhance communication between all partners and ensure member satisfaction. And we’re excited to lend our expertise to clubs preparing for a transformation.
If you’re looking to build a team for your next project, we’re eager to talk.
