A former 250-acre golf course in Rio Rancho that has been closed for the last six years may be repurposed as a village center with both restaurant and special events space.
Located at 500 Country Club Drive SE, the site was previously home to the Rio Rancho Country Club, a 27,000 square foot building that was destroyed in a fire in the fall of 2019.
City officials and area residents have for years talked of either launching a new golf course, with a new club house, or repurposing the entire site.
Now a local businessman is airing a plan to redevelop the site, with new recreational space, a wine and cocktail bar, and green space.
“It’s not just a development for me, this is something that is going to be a landmark,” developer Steve Chavez recently remarked to the Albuquerque Journal. “It’s going to be special.”
Chavez, managing partner of MDS Investments, which has spearheaded and overseen the massive Mesa del Sol planned community on the southeast side of the city, has already been in touch with Rio Rancho officials regarding his vision for the former course.
What was officially known as the Club Rio Rancho Golf Course and Country Club closed in 2016 due to financial reasons. At the time of its closing, according to reports, the club owed nearly $360,000 in utility fees.
Subsequent attempts to revive the course, including turning over half of the property for housing, went nowhere.
Chavez has said that he is not interested in seeing the land given over to another golf course but noted that a study is currently underway looking at what uses for the large swath of land would most fit in with the surrounding residential neighborhood.
By Garry Boulard
