Golf News

Tiger Woods has plans for mega-golf community at Kelly Ranch in Aledo

Tiger Woods' Bluejack National in Montgomery

Bluejack National

Fort Worth is teed up to get a new golf-centric community from the sport's biggest name: Golf celebrity Tiger Woods is planning to bring a luxury golf course concept called Bluejack Ranch to Kelly Ranch, the gated community under development in Aledo.

Woods' ambitious plan includes an 18-hole golf course as part of a 914-acre community and entertainment park, featuring a working dude ranch with horses, longhorns, and miniature donkeys.

Kelly Ranch is the master-planned community currently being developed by Ryan Voorhees of Kelly Ranch Estates LLC. They previously forged a deal with Escalante Golf, a Fort Worth-based golf club operator to open a course, but that partnership was severed in January.

Woods divulged the plan for Bluejack Ranch in a letter posted on the facility's website, stating that he and his partners would create a development similar to Bluejack National, which they opened outside Houston in 2016. Located in Montgomery, it was brought to life by developers Andy and Kristin Mitchell of Lantern Asset Management, Woods, and former PGA Tour player and Fort Worth resident J.J. Henry.

In addition to an 18-hole course, plans for Aledo include a 10-hole lighted short course, wellness spa, fitness center, tennis, pickleball, swimming pools, gourmet dining, and a social hub called The Fort.

It would also include a gated community of homes, cabins, and villas ranging in size from 3,200 to 3,500 square feet; plus smaller spa retreats and clubhouse casitas ranging from 1,140 to 2,100 square feet. These will surely be pricey: In 2021, a home at Bluejack National in Houston started at $1 million. In 2020, resort memberships cost $105,000 to join with annual dues of $15,000.

They are also planning an entertainment studio, courtesy of Andy’s Lantern Entertainment company, with room for podcasting, film, and TV productions.

Bluejack Ranch will be its own separate gated community adjacent to Kelly Ranch, says Kelly Ranch director of sales Draze Lawliss. Kelly Ranch will consist of three communities — Rio Vista, Sierra Vista, and La Dorada — which cumulatively will add approximately 2,000 single family residences set across 1,500 acres, with anticipated prices ranging from $500,000 to $2 million+.

"Yesterday’s exciting announcement about Bluejack Ranch, featuring a golf course designed by Tiger Woods, has put Aledo and West Fort Worth on the map for incredible growth opportunities," Lawliss says. "This development is set to ignite substantial economic growth in the area, as Aledo’s future expands beyond just residential communities to include thriving commercial, entertainment, and retail sectors."

"West Fort Worth is primed to benefit as well, with new restaurants, grocery stores, and businesses expected to spring up, adding new life to South Aledo along Highway 377," he says.

Woods has been developing a variety of golf concepts, ranging from miniature golf facilities like PopStroke in The Colony, to a practice course in Jupiter, Florida.

“It’s extremely motivating for me to contribute to the golfing legacy of Fort Worth, and I’m excited to see what we’ll build together,” said Woods in the letter.

T-Shirt News

Fort Worth clothing brand Dickies to relocate HQ to California

Dickies

Dickies T-shirt

After more than a century, workwear clothing brand Dickies is leaving Fort Worth for new headquarters on the West Coast. It will be moving from its current space at 500 Taylor St., at the top floor of The Tower, to California, with an estimated completion date of late spring 2025.

The company is relocating to Costa Mesa, home of its parent VF Corp, the footwear and apparel firm that owns brands such as Vans, The North Face, Timberland, Jansport, and Eastpak; VF Corp acquired Dickies in 2017.

"By co-locating Dickies with our Vans team in Costa Mesa, we will create an even more vibrant campus where creativity and best practice sharing can thrive through greater collaboration and connections – creating a dynamic and innovative environment similar to our other VF co-branded offices," says a Dickies representative in a statement, according to NBC 5.

According to Dickies, about 120 employees at the headquarters will be affected, but not those working at the local distribution facility, warehouses, and stores.

"We are deeply grateful for our Dickies associates’ dedication and hard work and want to recognize the camaraderie and commitment they have shown to the brand," the Dickies representative said in a statement. "Our priority is to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and care throughout this process. We will provide resources and assistance to help them navigate the next steps in their careers."

Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker chimed in on the relocation decision, stating that it's an example of a Fort Worth success story.

"While we understand companies are sometimes forced to make difficult budget decisions under new leadership, we think VFC will find – as others have – that Fort Worth, Texas is ultimately a more competitive place to do business,” Parker said in a statement.

Established in Fort Worth in 1922, Dickies brand impact, which was first founded by C.N. Williamson and E.E. "Colonel" Dickie, will still be felt, even after it leaves the city: In 2017, it gained naming rights to the 14,000 square-foot Dickies Arena next to the Will Rogers Memorial Center, and later opened in 2019.

According to the company, the California move will be managed over an "extended transition period." It's expected to be completed by May 2025.

"While this was a tough call, we are confident this change will help us revitalize Dickies so we can carry on the brand’s heritage for years to come," said the company representative.

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