Three-and-a-half years ago, Lancaster (Pa.) Country Club began planning a comprehensive, $20 million infrastructure improvement and expansion project that it has branded as “A Defining Moment” in the club’s 120-year-history. But this March, just as the club was set to announce the project’s details and begin its implementation, it had to shut down operations because of the coronavirus outbreak. Nonetheless, as COO/GM Ryan Granruth, CCM, and Director of Membership & Communications Andrea Zimmerman describe in this episode, only a short push of the “pause” button was needed, because of the club’s careful planning of contingencies, “off-ramp” options and effective communications strategies. “By June, we found we were in a position of strength financially and that things were looking up, despite all of the [pandemic-related] issues,” says Granruth. “We didn’t want to play catchup with the project, as many clubs did [after the 2008 recession].” And by moving forward, Lancaster CC has already seen benefits not only in terms of strong new membership interest, but also through the prospect of saving $1 million over a 10-year loan period, and by accelerating construction to be in position to recapture lost banquet business more quickly.
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