The owners of the 700-acre Tetherow resort are selling the boutique hotel, restaurants and property management company, but will retain the ownership of the golf course and club.

Tetherow hotel building to start

Tetherow hotel building to start

By selling off the 50-room hotel, the two restaurants, event pavilion and the vacation rental property management company, owners Chris and Erin van der Velde and Willem Willemstein will be able to reinvest and innovate the Tetherow Golf Club, according to a company statement.

The 18-hole golf course, styled by David McLay, opened in 2008 and the hotel opened in 2014. The golf course was ranked No. 57 this year on Golf Digest’s list of 100 great American public courses.

Located on the edge of the Deschutes National Forest, Tetherow is one of a handful of resort destinations in Central Oregon that include housing, a golf course, and vacation rentals.

One of those destination areas is the Black Butte Ranch. In 2023, the Black Butte lodge completed a $20 million rebuild of the lodge that tapped into owners to pay for the renovation through ownership funding, reserves and financing.

“It is an investment that our homeowners, guests and community will enjoy for the long-term,” said Kyle Cummings, Black Butte Ranch interim CEO. “The new lodge is now the centerpiece of the entire resort. It dramatically increases our indoor and outdoor event space.”

Tetherow owners on the move

Tetherow owners on the move

Unlike Tetherow, Black Butte lodge does not have a hotel or big commercial enterprise. Visitors to the ranch typically rent vacation homes.

At Tetherow, the properties were listed for sale with JLL Capital Markets, a commercial real estate and investment management company. The owners did not want to disclose the price, said Nick OrRico, Tetherow general manager.

“The owners are looking for someone to take over the operations, but still own the golf course,” OrRico said. “They’re wanting to separate the operations. Golf is what brought the owners here. That’s where their passion is.”

The employees were notified of the owners’ intentions this week, he said.

The owners feel that the market is ripe for finding a new operator for the hotel and food and beverage operations, according to a statement by van der Velde.

A summer of celebration for Central Oregon golfers as Awbrey Glen, Broken Top and Tetherow mark anniversaries

A summer of celebration for Central Oregon golfers as Awbrey Glen, Broken Top and Tetherow mark anniversaries

The renovations to the golf course areas are expected to be completed by this summer, according to the company’s statement.

Improvements include a new members area, dining, a refreshed golf shop and new outdoor patio space.

Tetherow was the first course in Oregon to become an Audubon International Certified Signature Sanctuary Golf Course, one of just a handful of courses worldwide to earn the certification. The course’s fescue fairways and greens require little water and thrive in Central Oregon’s high desert climate.