East Meadow, NY The Nassau County Industrial Development Agency (NCIDA) has preliminarily approved a transaction that aims to bring PGA Tour events to Eisenhower Park. The transaction, awarded to EGB Hospitality, will see the renovation of a building in Eisenhower Park, which will be used as a restaurant and event venue. The project represents a $5.3 million investment into the community and is set to create 20 construction-phase jobs, 30 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs within one year of completion and five additional FTE jobs within two years of completion with salaries ranging from $60,000 to $175,000 per year.
“The upgrades proposed at Eisenhower Park are exactly what is needed to make it a competing location to attract major golf tournaments and other events,” said Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman. “We’re excited to see this project come to fruition and look forward to the positive impact it will have on Nassau County and its residents.”
“The benefits of this project are difficult to overstate,” said Nassau IDA chairman Richard Kessel. “Not only will it bring dozens of well-paying jobs to our residents, but it will also see a tremendous uptake in tourism and income to Nassau County. The NCIDA looks forward to this project’s next steps and bringing yearly professional golf events back to Long Island.”
The space previously housed a different restaurant and event facility, the Carltun at Eisenhower Park, which closed last year after 27 years of operation. It will see significant renovations in order to become the Grand Lannin, which will serve as a place to stage events on the course when it is expected to open in May of this year. Additionally, the facility will attract patrons outside of Nassau County through their catering facility and cigar club. The full-service restaurant, outdoor patio and course concessions, all named for Eisenhower Park’s Red Course designer Devereux Emmet, will provide a place for golfers to spend time and eat before and after taking on the links.
“As a Long Island-based company, our first and foremost priority is bringing top-quality experiences to our community,” said Elias Trahanas, partner of EGB Hospitality.
“Located in the very center of Nassau County, Eisenhower Park is the perfect place for people inside and outside the community to come together, whether they attend a PGA event or want to enjoy a day golfing and dining with friends. We could not have done this without assistance from the NCIDA, and we are grateful for the help they provided in making this project a reality.”
The Red Course last held a professional golf tournament in 2008, which was sponsored by Commerce Bank. However, County officials have found it difficult to acquire sponsorships for such grand events over the past decade, and the opening of the Grand Lannin would play a significant role in changing that.
“The PGA is the most prestigious golfing organization in the world, and the potential to bring them to Eisenhower Park is a massive win for the people of Nassau County,” said Nassau IDA chief executive officer Sheldon Shrenkel. “Not only will large amounts of revenue come into the County, but resident golf enthusiasts will be able to attend some of the biggest golf events the PGA has to offer right in their own backyard. There is not a much better way to start off 2023 at the NCIDA.”
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