Walden Lake home construction was nearly complete by 1995 and the country club featured two 18-hole golf courses owned by Fairways Golf. In 1999 the Country Club reported a gross profit of $1.1M, but quality service began to slip under manager Meadowbrook leading to a loss of $0.1M in 2004.
Visions Golf, headed by Steve Mercer purchased the Club in 2005. The decline in both course condition and member services accelerated under Visions. Closure of the Hills course in 2014 was followed by Visions application for residential rezoning of 130 acres of the 319-acre property. Both SWL and WLCA Intervenors opposed rezoning at a 2016 hearing at which the Planning Board recommended denial. In 2017 SWL posts on YouTube WALDEN LAKE FUTURE advocating WLCA ownership to protect member interests.
Club ownership is clouded by contracts between VISIONS (Mercer) and PGGG (Archibald). Club deterioration leads to dwindling membership, bank foreclosure and sale to WLLLC for $2.6M in 2019
Following an unsuccessful 2019 attempt to modify the City Comprehensive Plan, WLLLC submitted rezoning applications in 2022 & 2023. SWL and WLCA Intervenors were successfully in opposing both submittals before the Planning Board. Following City 2024 denial of development under the Live Local Act, WLLLC sued the City; a Court summary judgement in the City’s favor is under appeal. Walden Lakes decline in the past quarter century is traced in SWL’s 2023 WALDEN LAKE PIVOT – PART 1 DECLINE.