McCauley Purchases Deer Ridge Country Club in Brentwood

On Wednesday, Sean McCauley confirmed he recently closed on his purchase of the Deer Ridge Country Club located on Foothill Drive in the City of Brentwood.

According to McCauley, this deal does not include the golf course or the parcels that make up the golf course, but rather the purchase is for the clubhouse and the 8-acres of land around the clubhouse area.

Although he did not disclose the purchase price, he estimates he will be investing between $500k-$750k to restore and upgrade the clubhouse building which is in distress due to vandalism and other issues.

His goal is to turn the clubhouse into a high-end restaurant and wine bar which he is now working to find the right operator. If all goes right, he says the restaurant could open within 4-6 months.

With the 8-acres of property, he plans on planting a variety of grapes and olives which he says will provide a “Napa feel” instantly and will be the ultimate outdoor dining atmosphere.

“It’s really important to get the right operator for the restaurant and bar because this is such a nice community and a beautiful area,” says McCauley. “When I am done, I really believe I will take this distressed property, make it world class, and increase everyone’s property values in the area.”

McCauley says he loves west Brentwood as he has his Olive Groves, his Olive Store and other businesses on the west side, but couldn’t pass up a property he has had his eye on for a while.

“I’ve been up here the past few months since its been really distressed and run down, this property has been on my list for a while and hasn’t been used properly. I feel like my team could help turn this around. This place is such a nice piece of property and when its updates and given new life,  its going to be a place people will want to come,” says McCauley.

In the past few years, McCauley and his team have taken worn down buildings and turned them into high class operations such as Smiths Landing Seafood Grill and Monica’s Riverview, both in Antioch. He is also working to renovate the former Long’s Drugs corporate offices that’s been a distressed, empty, vandalized building on Deer Valley Road for the past nine years–upon completion, he aims to bring 200-250 jobs to the area.

He also has brought 40 new entrepreneurs to the Luxe Salon Suites to downtown Antioch, the largest operation of its type in Antioch, according to McCauley shared.

Although this deal at Deer Ridge does not include the golf course, McCauley says he would be open to purchasing the parcels that make up the golf course if the zoning can be less restrictive.

The Deer Ridge Country Club location has been an eye sore for residents for years, including the city of Brentwood filing citations on the property after resident complaints.  Suncoast Properties shuttered the Golf Course in Sept. of 2019.

Editors Note

May 2021: Brentwood Announces Results from Deer Ridge Golf Course Survey

BRENTWOOD, CA – Brentwood City officials have published the results from the Deer Ridge Golf Course Survey.

The non-scientific survey which was conducted from April 12, 2021 to April 28, 2021. The survey received 484 Responses. Highlights of the survey reflect that 70.5% preferred organic agricultural use in place of the current property conditions.

According to the Survey Results:

The new owner of the former Deer Ridge Golf Course is proposing to use the golf course property for organic agriculture. The City of Brentwood developed and published an on-line survey regarding this potential reuse of the Deer Ridge Golf Course. Here is a summary of the result.

It must be stressed that an on-line survey is NOT a scientifically selected survey, and all results should be used cautiously. Such a survey does provide an indication of what the people motivated to take the survey thought, but results should be interpreted cautiously.

The survey was open from April 12, 2021 to April 28, 2021. There were 484 Responses. 48.5% identified themselves as living in the Deer Ridge area with an addition 16.9% reporting living in the Shadow Lakes area. Thus, more than 2/3rds of respondents identified as living in the area of the golf former golf course.

• 70.5% of all respondents preferred organic agricultural use in preference to leaving the property as is. Of those that indicated they lived in the Deer Ridge neighborhood, 64% favored organic agriculture. Those that lived directly adjacent to the former golf course favored organic agriculture by 62%.
• The agricultural crop most preferred was grape vines. Lavender and olive trees were also supported but to a lesser extent.
• 87% supported the idea of public trails on the former golf course property, 5.6% preferred a private, fee-based trail system. Notably, only 6.8% said they were opposed to the idea of trails on the property. 81% of respondents who reported living directly adjacent to the former golf course supported the idea of public trails
• The property owner has proposed selling a portion of the former golf course property to residents to allow for expanded rear yards. 40.9% of respondents were opposed to the idea. 28.7% supported it, 26.4% supported the idea only if building a structure on the expanded back yard property was prohibited. Of those who reported living adjacent to the golf course 37% opposed the opportunity for property owners to expand their back yard. 25% favored to idea, and 22% favored the idea as long as no structures were allowed in the area.

Information released by City of Brentwood