Vineyards Resort ready to get started

The long-awaited Vineyards Resort, a residential and golf destination complex designed to complement the Valley’s wine industry, will launch next month.

Officials said a groundbreaking ceremony for the development, which is estimated will be worth $500 million when completed, will be Sept. 9.

The site, a 500-acre property on Nightingale Road, northwest of Zillah, would be the first high-end golf course and housing development of its kind in the heart of Washington’s wine country.

Vineyards will have a total of 582 residential units, including single-family homes and smaller dwellings around the golf course. A condominium hotel, recreation center, and Tuscan-theme village with cafes and retail also are in the plan.

The Tuscan theme borrows from the architecture of Italy’s wine region, which features stone, wood, stucco and mission-style roofs.

Developers Friday declined to reveal specific details about construction phasing for the 18-hole golf course and other features ahead of the 11 a.m. announcement on Sept. 9 that will include officials of the development company, golf course designers and other members of the development team.

The Vineyards was to have broken ground 15 months ago, but was delayed because of financing.

Gary Scott of Ellensburg, managing partner for the Vineyards, said financing has been dependent on presales of lots that will surround the golf course.

“We met the required number of initial presales for financing,” said Scott, declining to specify a number. “Once we hit spring, we will start real estate sales. Everything that has been done has been in a pre-sale program.”

Yakima County approved the project in early 2006 as a master planned resort, which allows the developer to modify the plan as it goes along to meet market demand, Scott said.

The state statute that governs such resorts requires that a percentage of the units be available for rental.

Under the current plan, the Vineyards will have 230 single-family homes built on the choicest view lots on the property, the 100-room hotel and a combination of patio homes, town homes and villas. Some units will have common walls.

The Vineyards is being developed by SBC Development, a joint venture between Eagle Resort Development of Colorado, Scott and Yakima builder and developer Craig Schultz.

The resort is being marketed toward Seattle residents looking for a weekend retreat that offers golf, visits to local wineries and other recreational activities.

• David Lester can be reached at 577-7674 or dlester@yakimaherald.com.