Mayor Sheppard’s Letter On the LPGA

The following email was sent to Tega CAy residents yesterday by Mayor George Sheppard.

February 17th 2010

From Your Mayor??..

For many months now, many of you have been asking how our City had become involved in talks concerning a potential LPGA event coming to our course.? The following will hopefully explain how the City became involved and where discussions are currently.

In July 2009, Special Events Unlimited (SEU) sought out and approached the City of Tega Cay offering to facilitate a Ladies Professional Golf Association tournament in Tega Cay scheduled for the fall of 2010.? SEU requested that the City provide seed funding in the amount of $500,000 to bring the proposed $7.2 million event to Tega Cay.? Although the City declined to provide such funding, the City and SEU continued to discuss the potential of such an event.? In September of 2009, SEU?s formal intent to site the LPGA event was made public, even as the Tega Cay Golf Course greens resurfacing project was underway. ?

Approximately 60 days ago, I met with former Mayor Bob Runde, City Manager Grant Duffield, David Taylor (Tega Cay Golf Management), and Tommy Stines (President, SEU Promotions).? During this meeting, City Officials reiterated the City?s commitment to work with SEU Promotions to bring a Ladies Professional Golf Association event to Tega Cay in 2010.? While welcoming of such an opportunity, City officials stipulated that any agreement of the City to host such an event would be predicated upon SEU?s ability to furnish letters of intent/commitment from the proposed event?s title sponsor(s).? Mr. Stines indicated that such sponsors would be soon forthcoming and proof of their commitment would be furnished within 60 days of that meeting.

During the aforementioned meeting, Mr. Stines made it clear that SEU had concern about the health and maturity of the new putting surfaces installed on the Tega Cay golf course, going so far as to state that it was his belief that several of the surfaces were damaged and would be unsuitable for LPGA event play.? City and TCGM Officials invited Mr. Stines to schedule a visit by LPGA staff agronomists and turf management professionals to ascertain the health of the newly installed putting surfaces.? Mr. Stines agreed to coordinate such a visit in late December or early January, at which time data could be gathered and analyzed and an educated determination of turf health could be reached.

To date, SEU has provided neither an assurance of commitment from title sponsors.? They have also not scheduled or facilitated a visit by the LPGA to assess the condition of the putting surfaces.? Although no formal notification has been provided to the City by SEU, the LPGA?s 2010 schedule has been published with no event slated for the Tega Cay area.

Your Mayor,
George