She paints mandalas on old hubcaps to make a little The name comes from the bars design, a dug-out cave/mineshaft, and it has always had a more permissive atmosphere than the rest of the area. He received a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1978.[8][3][6]. His ambition grew ever more glorious by the day: eight hundred residential lots of two acres or less, some selling for as much as $1 million, undeveloped; two championship golf courses, not desert-style, with grass growing only on greens and tees, but with a lush wall-to-wall carpet that would need a million gallons of water a day to stay green in summer months; an RV park with $100,000 slips for $500,000 motor homes; a 36,000-square-foot spa; four fancy restaurants; an amphitheater seating three thousand; an equestrian center; a hunting club. On Monday, the sculpture completed a 600-mile journey to Black Jacks Crossing near the border, about a dozen miles from Terlingua. In nearly every article on Lajitas that ran in the early Smith years, he gave some variant of a quote he gave to me. The woman, and, for that matter, all of Terlingua, was offended. Lajitas Golf Resort - Jobs - The Ultimate Big Bend Experience Upward of thirty people would gatherMexican workers, snowbirds from the RV park, boatmen and floaters just back from a river trip, and college kids whod stopped in to feed cervezas to Mayor Clay Henry, the towns famous beer-drinking goat. braided. Though a biblical rainstorm and lightning display in the night knocked out the resorts electricity for twelve hoursa common desert occurrence that, among other things, might incapacitate an alarm clock and cause one to miss an early tee timehe was still able to get on the course because no one else was playing that day. newspaper, go to [5] [24] He also owns an 8,000-acre ranch near Cherokee, Texas, [5] the 20,000-acre Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa in Lajitas, Texas, [25] and a private island near Roatn, Honduras. the rich never came in large numbers. Lajitas Golf Resort | LinkedIn Communities offer services, amenities, and entertainment. His state-of-the-art gray water filtration system created a wetlands area on the golf course that, along with a 64-acre sanctuary on the river, brought birds to the region not commonly found in the desert. The store itself was stacked deep with every conceivable necessity, from bulk beans and flour to appliances, auto parts, clothes, and ranch supplies. [6], Lajitas is located on the eastern end of the Big Bend Ranch State Park. Lajitas International Airport at Lajitas Golf Resort For the 23 years prior to that, Lajitas had been the property of Houston business giant Walter Mischer, whod turned it into a modest resort with an Old West boardwalk, a nine-hole golf course, ninety cheap hotel rooms, and an RV park for winter Texans, all of it anchored by a 65-year-old ramshackle adobe trading post so vital to the regions commerce and society that some called it the Courthouse of South County. And he managed to build and landscape some beautiful facilities. [8], He lives in Preston Hollow, Dallas[5] on an 8+ acre estate on Park Lane valued at more than $30 million. The resort was originally owned by oilman and entrepreneur Clayton Williams Jr. Williams purchased the property in 1983 and developed it into a golf resort. The trading post was that communitys heart, the hub for little villages on both sides of the river. This desert golf resort has breathtaking views that make it hard to believe that it is in our own backyard! Its just spectacular.. Located just east of Big Bend Ranch State Park, a visit to Lajitas, Texas may leave you wondering: is this a town or a resort? During droughts, people will live on water saved in rooftop rain-catchment systems, showering and flushing the toilet once a week. It's a quick trip to Terlingua for other dining options, although we had breakfast at, The morning of our second day we explored the. When I met him nearly two years later, he was thinking differently. When I asked a local sitting at the bar what he remembered of that story, she happened to be on the other side of me and interrupted, That was me! Shes still angry about it, and she ticked off the details as though it had happened the night before. At the same time a number of cattle ranches and mining enterprises appeared in northern Chihuahua and Coahuila. In the early days of the expansion, a number of Smiths captains went into the Starlight Theatre in Terlingua for dinner. At press time two weeks later, the various parties were still trying to hammer out an agreement, and the door was open for someone else to swoop in and snatch it up. On the wooden boardwalk, guests checked in in the grand lobby of the elegant Badlands Hotel, which is decorated like a high-dollar Old West guest house. Andbig bonus for ussome rooms are pet friendly. Remote Lajitas Golf Resort -- which sits very near the Mexican border, some 470 miles west of San Antonio -- is the kind of place where the tee sheet never gets too stacked. City documents identified Holmes, but he hadnt hinted at what hed do with his new hunk of Alexander Phimister Proctor-made metal. Warren is chief executive officer and chairman of Energy Transfer Partners. So when you meet someone who lives in Terlingua or Study Butte or Lajitasthat area known in local shorthand as South Countyyou might not be able to tell if hes thirty or sixty. Every facet of life in that trading post was filled with spirit, Ivey said. said. We also have an email out to Warren. Eventually she started sobbing, and I was whisked off by the minder into a crowd of happier revelers. At 1:48 p.m., the wire transfer went through for the property. The party was large, maybe ten men and women, all drinking. I had been down in South County reporting for that story on the new Lajitas (and in my defense, Id not participated in the pool). With the border now closed, the trading post will never return to its Ivey-era glory. There was, in fact, a large contingent of resort employees in La Kiva that night, all of them transplants from around the United States but for one young woman who had grown up in the area. I formerly head the sports department at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. 1,059 reviews. [2][3][6] From 1981 to 1992, he worked for Endevco. Skaggs also became successful in a candelilla wax business, the Lajitas Wax Company. She said, You guys are execs at Lajitas, arent you? When they acknowledged they were, she said, I cant wait to tell everybody what redneck assholes you are. The table went silent, and when she walked off, one of the guys followed her to the bar and asked her not to say anything. If youre traveling on the cheap, that could make a funny story. And hell, thats the appeal!, Linda Walker, who has run the Lajitas Stables for more than twenty years, guiding horseback tours near the park and into Mexico, is not rich. Reviewed October 12, 2021 See 1,059 traveler reviews, 860 candid photos, and great deals for Lajitas Golf Resort, ranked #1 of 1 hotel in Lajitas and rated 4 of 5 at Tripadvisor. "I'd be surprised if there are more than 10 people here," Mr. These days, Clay Henry can be found (stuffed) at Starlight Theatre in Terlingua, but Clay Henrys descendants continued to act as mayorat least until his grandson met a gnarly fate. Lajitas Resort: Why you better go now | Columns | elpasoinc.com Seven or eight hours in a car gives you a sense of how far this is from civilization. Dallas businessman Kelcy Warren believes he can. Dallas most important news stories of the week, delivered to your inbox each Sunday. Commerce was interrupted by Pancho Villa and his bandits, bringing John J. Pershing and his troops to establish a cavalry post there in 1916. , we came back to resort and spent time lounging in the pool. Shes quieter than Tinsley but on the same page. The Last Resort - Texas Monthly Earlier this year, Mr. Smith's dream officially ended in Pamplin sold the resort in 2006 to a group of investors led by Texas businessman Bob McNair. "Lajitas" translates to "little flat rocks" in Spanish. Mr. Leslie on Friday 10 or more click here, Traveler rating: 7.0 Sitemap. Since Clay Henry, goats have been mayors of the community ever since. Pamplin and his partners invested $25 million to expand the resort adding a new hotel and increasing the number of golf holes from 9 to 18. [2][6] He served as executive vice-president Cornerstone Natural Gas from 1989 to 1990, and as president and CEO from 1993 to 1996. The vision on the porch was of rooms priced at $150 a night and an RV park that is open to snowbirds, that will tolerate the occasional rattletrap trailer. At first blush, its almost impossible to tell the age of a resident of south Brewster County, and there are two good reasons for that. information click here She was all smiles when I met her, one more witness to the greatness of Lajitas. Theres a simple story of manners that gets retold on the porch when Lajitas is discussed. But it wasnt. Copyright 2023, D Magazine Partners, Inc. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Instead, he paid dearly to learn an age-old lesson: The desert always wins. A bankruptcy judge in San Antonio opened a three-month window for Lajitas to acquire new financing, but Smith, who by all accounts was still in love with the area, was unable to pull it off. It can be quite a jolt. So life went in Lajitas, through the end of Iveys tenure in 1993, right up until Mischer sold out to Smith. On the Wide Plains West of Lubbock, a Chainsaw Carver Works From an Old Cotton Gin, Texas Lege Watch: A House Republican Fights for Chicken Freedom, Family Memories Echo Through an East Texas Shoe Shop, Texas Monthly Recognized by ASME in the 2023 National Magazine Awards, Our Guide to Johnson City, Where You Can Stroll to Wineries and Museums. [19] Business is apparently booming at its new home, a course that has been perennially named among the top five or so in the state. It is speculated that Cabeza de Vaca crossed the Rio Grande at Lajitas around 1530, and it is almost certain that Antonio de Espejos party did in 1588. The contraband would be returned at a reception when they arrived. lodge. Grass that was seeded on the golf course couldnt survive on the brackish well water. The crossing was described as a smooth, rock bottom, and was best between Del Rio and El Paso. She also had no way of knowing about the rest of the nights events. A skeet range was put in that had shooters firing over the bike trail. This indicates he was in the lowest 20% of billionaires rated. In 1852 Lt. William H. Emory visited the site as part of the first official US survey party. Its not the Grand Canyon, where you park your car, walk to the edge, take a picture, and then say, Okay, lets go to California now. Big Bend tourists want an active part in whats going on. . Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. people," Mr. Warren said from town, joined on the trip by business Thats the way the project was run, as if success was secondary. LAJITAS HISTORY - Visit Big Bend How Florence ButtNot Her SonLaunched the H-E-B Empire, H-E-Bs True Texas BBQ Restaurant Is Slipping, Jimmy Carters Peanut-and-Egg Taco Made Quite the Impression on San Antonians. It's a quick trip to Terlingua for other dining options, although we had breakfast at Candelilla and it was fabulous. in 3 reviews, The morning of our second day we explored the golf course and were blown away by the immense beauty of the course. in 23 reviews, On the day of the wedding, after our adventure in Big Bend, we came back to resort and spent time lounging in the pool. in 12 reviews. 21701 FM 170, Lajitas, Big Bend National Park, TX 79852-5015. About us. Bring on the Shiplap. A variety of guided outdoor activities are available. I was doctor, vet, lawyer, marriage counselor, pharmacist, and an importer of wax. Only a few home sites ever sold. [11], In 2022, he ranked No. Candidates give an average difficulty score of 2.5 out of 5 (where 5 is the highest level of difficulty) for their job interview at Lajitas Golf Resort. They want to hike, raft, and go get a beer on the porch in Terlingua. Asian money. [1] It was inhabited by aboriginal Mexicans for many years. [2] He is a former co-chairman of Le Gp, OEC Compression. Still, Dennis struck me as an odd person to be championing the resorts willingness to act without a game plan. [7] The construction of the park cost about $90 million. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. across the river. The ultimate fate of Lajitas wont be decided by any new owner. the handmade home of Collie Ryan. Id hold out a brown paper sack that theyd put their guns in, and Id put their groceries in that sack and hand it back to them when they were leaving. The trading post was also the only chance for gas in the area, and it wasnt unusual to see a pilot like Tinsley taxi his plane down the highway to the pumps to refuel. The population of Lajitas plummeted to only four when Terlingua's quicksilver mines closed. Who Owns Lajitas Golf Resort by Joshua|Published August 25, 2019 The Lajitas Golf Resort is a full-service golf resort and spa located in the Big Bend region of West Texas. [11] The Robert E. Lee on Traveller statue is on display at the resort. Black Jack's Crossing at Lajitas Golf Resort. Otherwise youre just buying dirt.. When I visited it in August and October, the trading post was dead. [6], Warren purchased the Roatan Electric Company (RECO) in 2008, where he serves as president and chairman of the board. LAJITAS GOLF RESORT $179 ($201) - Prices & Reviews - Big Bend Unable to find her, Mr. Warren wandered about with a look of And the beauty of that, as it related to Steve Smith, was the free rein Dennis had been given to create whatever he wanted. Bridlie Hospitality, to operate the resort. Make no mistake, desert life is hard, and the sacrifices required are made hourly. to come back with his 5-year-old son. "What should we do here, Collie?" "I still think it could be something special," the 52-year-old But if you just paid $7,000 to fly your jet out there, $900 a night for a condo on the boardwalk, and $165 for greens fees, you expect a little more. Thats a huge mistake. goat. Find Lajitas Resorts and Resort Rentals. Dallas Robert E. Lee Statue Has Landed at Black Jacks Crossing Near Terlingua. Lajitas, Texas: A Big Bend Country Ghost Town (Turned Resort) Columnar basalt that is similar to that of the Devils Postpile National Monument in California can be found in a high desert dry river falls area just north of Lajitas. McGuirk also funded the construction of a school. The omicron variant has arrived in the U.S. as Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers is blocked by a federal judge. The Big Bend is not the kind of place you want to drive through and look out your window at, Ivey continued. The wild spirit of the Big Bend region is in full effect at this stunning course whose name pays tribute to U.S. Army Gen. John "Black Jack . There was laughter from the table but not from the waitress. McGuirk sold his landholdings around Lajitas to Thomas V. Skaggs, who continued farming. [17], The Kelcy Warren Foundation supports the Caddo Lake Institution, an organization with the mission of protecting the ecological, cultural and economic integrity of Caddo Lake and its associated wetlands and watershed.