Brett Marvelly is leading the charge with the restorations at Rotorua Golf Club. Photo / Andrew Warner
Brett Marvelly is leading the charge with the restorations at Rotorua Golf Club. Photo / Andrew Warner
A high-profile hotelier is leading the charge in a restoration project aiming to transform a thermal reserve and golf clubhouse into a multi-purpose venue and premier tourist destination.
Former Princes Gate owner Brett Marvelly has spent the past six months renovating the 112-year-old Rotorua Golf Club building at Arikikapakapa fromdusty, underutilised clubrooms into a polished, upmarket venue.
And the vision for the property doesn't end at the clubrooms, with the club's board planning to establish walking tracks through the reserve, open three more holes, install plaques along the course detailing the history of the land and introduce concerts on the green.
The board hopes to not only open up the property to the community for the first time but to make it a premier tourist destination.
Rotorua Golf Club has been based at the reserve since 1912 and Pukeroa Oruawhata Trust administrates the lease on behalf of the Department of Conservation.
Speaking exclusively to the Rotorua Daily Post Weekend, Marvelly said the building had been in a "time warp" and was not equipped to offer what today's market needed.
"I am on the board and when the manager left, my wife and I, with more than 45 years of hospitality experience, offered to come in as consultants to help take the business to the next stage.
"We expected this to take eight to 10 weeks but then Covid hit. The positive to come out of that was it gave us the chance to start doing things while nobody was there."
Since then, renovations have included decluttering, deep cleaning and repainting the main clubroom, opening up and revamping the "library", redecorating the entrance hall, and most recently, installing a large north-facing deck with mobility ramps.
Image 1 of 6: Renovations at Rotorua Golf Club. Photos / Andrew Warner
Marvelly is currently renovating the front boardroom which will see the front-facing wall replaced with feature windows looking out to the Pohutu geyser.
From there, the outside of the building will be repainted and by October 1 the board hopes to be ready to go out to market with the new-look club.
"When we started there were no paintings, no history, it was like a 1970s rugby club. A lot of the stuff on display now was brought up from the archives and has never been seen before.
"What we're doing is enhancing the natural assets of this old building. It's 112 years old, that history and feeling is not something you can replicate.
"When we volunteered our service we were confident in our ability to renovate a building of this age, we are familiar with the quirks and intricacies of old buildings and had the vision and innovation to make the most of it."
So far, Marvelly estimates the renovations have cost $150,000, of which club members have contributed a sizeable sum.
The club has also begun offering a non-playing membership for $25 per year to encourage more locals to "enjoy what we've got here".
"Imagine sitting in the library with a glass of wine or a cocktail watching the sunset over the reserve. When reviewing our business plan, the board recognised we needed to adapt if we were going to survive, particularly since Covid.
"As a part of this, we are offering fresh, vibrant food, we're available for weddings and corporate events. We've been waiting for this for a long time."
Marvelly said the board's biggest motivation was being able to open the club up to the community.
"This land was gifted to the city as a reserve by Ngāti Whakaue and currently, it only gets used by our members.
"It's always been a golf course and will continue to be one, but it can also be an attraction for everyone to enjoy."
Board chairman Leith Comer said Covid-19 highlighted the need for the club to adopt a new business plan.
"The clubrooms needed some energy and we were finding we couldn't rely on our membership subscriptions to fund everything we needed to do anymore."
Comer said the Marvellys had volunteered their time to lead the renovations but it was the collective generosity of all the club's members that were making it a reality.
"Arikikapakapa thermal reserve is a unique place and our goal is to enhance the reserve and add value to Rotorua.
"We have an iconic Rotorua building as our clubhouse and we are lifting that facility with an aim that it will not solely be for the benefit of our existing members but for the whole of Rotorua.
"We have a vision and part of that includes a much more inclusive approach to sharing this beautiful piece of land we're lucky enough to have a long-term lease to play golf on."
Destination Rotorua acting chief executive Andrew Wilson said it was great to see the investment in the club facilities.
"It's another sign of private sector investor confidence in the long-term future of the city.
"The renovated clubrooms will also provide a unique option for corporate team building and business events, and we're seeing increased demand from businesses seeking options for bespoke events."
Pukeroa Oruawhata Trust deputy chairman David Tapsell said the trust was pleased with the work being done at the Rotorua Golf Club.
"Arikikapakapa Reserve is a strategic tourism asset that has the potential to further contribute to the repositioning of Rotorua as a visitor destination in the post-Covid environment," Tapsell said.
"We have been working closely with Rotorua Golf Club to both support the club, its activities, and to build on its unique position as a golf course situated within a geothermal environment.
"We are excited by some of the potential plans for the Arikikapakapa Reserve which will enhance its amenity value and most importantly, enable its wider use by locals and manuhiri alike."
Department of Conservation community supervisor Rotorua Caraline Abbott said conversations relating to future ownership of the reserve were currently paused, pending legalisation of roadworks associated with the Hemo Rd intersection.
She said the Department and Pukeroa Oruawhata Holdings were supportive of the club's plans to enhance the existing amenities.
