It once was envisioned as the centerpiece of “the largest resort between Anaheim and San Diego.” It hasn’t worked out that way for Aliso Viejo’s golf course, which is being recast as a family-oriented private club. The 27-hole Jack Nicklaus-designed course launched in 1999, but a companion five-star, 900-room hotel never materialized. So new plans were drawn up for the housing boom that since has fizzled. Original developer and course operator ClubCorp of Dallas got nine holes entitled for higher-value residential use and sold 80 acres to Shea Homes in January 2006 just before the downturn; Shea so far has sold only a couple of dozen homes out of 500 planned. ClubCorp still runs the golf course and will operate two new facilities, a city-owned conference center and aquatic center slated to open within 45 days. This week the previously public 27-hole Aliso Viejo Golf Course becomes the private 18-hole Aliso Viejo Country Club, boasting a new clubhouse and offering cachet on a budget. Equity memberships of $20,500 (50%) and $27,500 (90%) are a fraction of the price at Shady Canyon or Big Canyon and below several other local clubs. GM Scott Lester said about 247 memberships,a little more than half the limit,have been purchased: “We’re seeing tremendous interest” …
Former Orange County Register publisher Chris Anderson has a new gig,and it’s a far cry from running a big daily newspaper. Anderson has hooked up with an Internet startup called zkimmer that uses mapping technology to help adapt “old media” (like, say, the Register) for “new media.” The company name is pronounced “skimmer,” as it enables online users to skim and zoom through a newspaper or magazine. Company founder Ric Richardson of Huntington Beach says Anderson is a minority investor and strategic adviser. Anderson says “it’s fun” at zkimmer and calls Richardson “a genius.” Anderson says he’s working on some other projects, too. Details later …
UCI and Chapman U. have reasons to cheer the latest graduate school rankings from U.S. News & World Report: After just missing last year, UCI’s Merage b-school returns to the Top 50 at No. 44. Dean Andy Policano says about 20 schools are so closely ranked that slight year-to-year shifts in the measuring criteria cause them to fall in or out of the elite 50. Chapman’s law school makes the Tier 3 list for the first time, putting it in a 38-school class with Michigan State and Drake, ahead of 238 programs and behind UCI and 103 others …
One of the hometown favorites at this year’s Newport Beach Film Festival (April 24 to May 1) is “Man Maid.” It’s written and directed by Chris Lusvardi (ABC’s “Sports Night”), who hails from Anaheim and Huntington Beach. It stars South Coast Rep alum Phillip Vaden of Fox’s “Back to You.”
