Bernardo Heights Country Club sold

Bernardo Heights Country Club has been sold to ClubCorp, which has a network of more than 300 owned, operated and alliance clubs throughout the country, in addition to more than 1,000 hotels, resorts and entertainment venues.

Before the Dec. 17 sale, the club that has operated since the 1980s in Rancho Bernardo was member-owned.

Jim Sahagian, the club’s board president, said members approved the sale — for an undisclosed amount that is reportedly in the millions — so the facility can be upgraded without additional future calls to members for capital improvements.

“We’ll no longer need to have intensive member participation in operating the club,” he said.

While the club and 18-hole golf course has undergone upgrades in recent years — including installation of a well for irrigation purposes and significant cutbacks of its grassy portions — Sahagian said more improvements are needed to increase membership beyond the roughly 350 equity and non-equity members it had prior to the sale.

Planned upgrades include expanding the available dining spaces, both inside and outdoors.

“The exterior patio has a great view,” he said. Plans call for a new and expanded outdoor patio with lounge seating and fire pit. “It will be more contemporary.”

Interior reconfigurations will also occur to better serve those in the dining room, casual dining area and bar. A new, expanded grill will feature new, handcrafted menus and large screen TVs, officials said.

Other renovations in the multi-million dollar endeavor include new fairway bunkers and completion of renovations to the greenside bunkers, a new golf cart fleet and new golf course amenities. There will also be new events and programming with a focus on fun for the whole family.

Sahagian said design work for the renovation has already begun, construction will begin before mid-2016 and it all should be completed by the end of the year. He said they will work around as many activities as possible — keeping in mind those already booked — with the goal of not having to close for renovations. “Hopefully the impact will be minimal,” he said.

“Dues should stay roughly the same,” Sahagian said, adding the same applies to the majority of club employees. Significant changes thus far have been ClubCorp bringing in a new general manager and membership director, he added.

Sahagian said the Dallas-based ClubCorp’s other facilities in the area include the Morgan Run Club & Resort in Rancho Santa Fe, Shadowridge Golf Club in Vista and University Club Atop Symphony Towers in downtown San Diego.