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The Trail is the world's largest collection of golf courses built as part of one project.
Its construction has been compared in complexity to the erection of the Golden Gate Bridge. More dirt was moved in the Trail's construction than in the digging of the Panama Canal. The Trail has evolved into an international tourist attraction, with golfers from every state and most foreign countries. The Trail's millionth round of golf was played in All that sounds like an amazing tourism and economic success story, and it is, but the Trail was conceived as a unique economically targeted investment of a pension plan for public teachers and state employees -- the Retirement Systems of Alabama.
How this project happened and what it has meant amounts to a case study in economic development, told here in words and pictures from an insider involved from the beginning. Author Mark Fagan is a professor of business and an expert on tourism development who was tapped to develop the economic models for each of the 11 communities where Trail sites were built. Would you like to tell us about a lower price? If you are a seller for this product, would you like to suggest updates through seller support?
The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail tells how a bold, imaginative investment by a public employee pension fund turned into a world-class tourist attraction that helped change the image and boost the economy of an entire state. The pension fund was the Retirement Systems of Alabama, and its alternative investment was in a string of golf courses and affiliated high-end hotels and spas.
In business-speak, this was an "economically targeted investment" designed to diversify returns, create jobs, and increase tax revenue. Twenty-five years later, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is known worldwide for the quality and beauty of its courses and the hospitality and elegance of its resorts. It has significantly increased Alabama's infrastructure for tourism and conventions, provided millions upon millions in new tax revenues, spurred construction of thousands of units of adjacent housing, and helped persuade other businesses to locate in the state.
It also required the cooperation of scores of local and state elected officials and economic developers. This book is the illustrated historical account of the financial, legal, political, and economic impact details of RSA's investment in the RTJ Golf Trail.
Such a detailed history could not have been written without the years of economic analysis conducted by author Mark Fagan dating back to the earliest stages of the concept. Fagan's ongoing involvement with Dr. Bronner and those working to develop the Trail made possible the mammoth one-of-a-kind history that is presented in this book.
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A model for other states. Great story about investing in the future. The tees are pegged to ability level, not age or gender, allowing players to find the right location to maximize or minimize the challenge of each golf course. The courses are anywhere from 4, yards to over 8, yards from the tournament tees.
With as many as 12 tee boxes in-between, there is a tremendous amount of flexibility for golf vacationers to find his or her sweet spot. The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is an incredible golfing experience for the golf traveler of every skill level.
Unlimited sunshine, unlimited golf. Beautiful. Deadly. Irresistible. Are you ready for Alabama's Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail? Senior Discount. Golfers Make your reservation for the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail online or by calling 1-
Each courses will provide challenge for the best golfers in your group, yet at the same time allow an enjoyable outing for the casual to beginning golfer. Take a trip to Alabama and discover this phenomenal trail on your next custom golf vacation. Starting small, the initial plan was for just seven sites: After seeing the success of the project, additional courses and destinations were added.
In , The Capitol Hill courses in Montgomery were added. Vacation packages can be customized for any of the Trail locations. One of the finest features of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail as a golf travel destination is the locations of the golf courses. Every golf site is close to an interstate making them easy to reach and reducing travel time from one course to another, perfect for a golf vacation. Each way is within a 90 minute drive from Atlanta.
This way you can explore many of the sites, making it an interesting and successful golf trip.