Mozingo clubhouse nears completion

After six weeks of work, crews have nearly completed renovating the clubhouse at Mozingo Lake Golf Course.

The remodeling job is part of an overall re-branding effort designed to market both the golf course and the surrounding 3,000-acre city-owned reservoir and recreation area as a regional tourist destination.

In recent weeks, the City Council has green-lighted both a new logo and a new name for Mozingo, which is now officially known as  Mozingo Lake Recreation Park.

Assistant City Manager Ryan Heiland told the Maryville City Council this week that work at the clubhouse should be completed when the 18-hole course reopens Feb. 19.

City staff received approval from the council in early December to move forward with $30,000 worth of deferred maintenance at the clubhouse. Improvements and upgrades include a refurbished snack bar, deck and window repairs, new carpet, interior paint, new furniture and landscaping.

In December, Heiland called fixing up the clubhouse "vital" to the success of the re-branding campaign, an initiative that is to be kicked off with a "grand-opening" event at the golf course planned for early April.

In addition to remodeling the "19th hole," other changes at the lakeside golf course are underway as well. These include additional staff training and uniform employee shirts meant to promote a "consistent image."

Staff will also offer customers a different sort of pro-shop experience as the retail store changes inventory in an effort to emphasize custom club fitting and other other boutique services.

On other fronts, the city is working to upgrade the course's online presence with the approaching launch of "Fore!", an interactive "marketing engine" that will let golfers use smart phones and other devices to make tee time reservations and access course updates.

"Fore!" will also allow Mozingo staff to collect customer data, monitor course usage patterns and send out marketing and informational messages via mass emails.