Final plans unveiled for Briggs Woods center
11,520-square-foot facility south of Webster City would have event capacity for 350
WEBSTER CITY — The Briggs Woods Golf Course clubhouse was packed Wednesday night with people eager to see the finalized plans for the Briggs Woods Conference Center.
“We provided the conceptual 3-D renderings and site plan, as well as the project itself,” Wayne Schlotfeldt, president of Schlotfeldt Engineering, said. “We’re providing a public conference center with 11,520 square feet which will provide a capacity of 350 people for the events that will take place.”
Schlotfeldt and Gary Anderson, with Skott & Anderson Architects, answered questions about the project that would be sited adjacent to the Briggs Woods Golf Course, which is south of Webster City on Iowa Highway 17.
“This is when we are unveiling our final plans — there’ll be tweaking that will be done to it — but as far as the scale of the building, size of the rooms, all that kind of stuff,” said Kelly Haman, Briggs Woods special events coordinator.
The new building will have three meeting rooms, which can seat 203 people, 165 people, and 183 people respectively, Haman said.
“The walls can also be opened up and we’ll be able to seat 350 to 400 people when it’s wide open,” she added.
The Briggs Woods Conference Center will cost an estimated $2.2 million dollars, she said.
“Construction costs, we’re estimating and we’ve got a nice buffer in there as well, but it’s estimated at $2.2 million.”
The conference center will be paid through private donations and grants.
“We’ll really kick into some high gear now as far as raising the funds to build it, because it has to be 100 percent paid for between donations and grants,” said Russ Appel, Briggs Woods Golf Course superintendent and general manager.
“We’re hoping this will be the kickoff for that and that we’ll get very aggressive with the fundraising in the next couple of months and hopefully get it all raised.”
Haman said fundraising efforts are gaining momentum.
“We’re doing very well. Right now we have a couple very large grants in the works that we’ll hear back on in the next three to four months. Those are worth about $900,000 combined,” Haman said. “We have several smaller grants also.”
Haman estimates money raised through donations is in the six figures with more donations being received at the launch.
“Fundraising, donation-wise, we’re at right around $600,000,” Haman said. “We’ve gotten some nice donations tonight already. It’s fantastic.”
The new conference center will be a separate structure from the clubhouse, according to Appel.
“We’ve had a lot of changes from our original plans with the conference center. We’ve been all over the board. It was going to be attached to the clubhouse , and then we just decided we’re going to separate it,” said Appel.
According to Haman, the conference center will provide a better experience for both the employees and individuals and groups that use the facility in the future.
“We have a great outdoor space planned for the conference center, but it’s outdoor space in addition to the indoor space, where, before, we were all outdoor space. Irregardless of rain, wind and thunderstorms. So this will be fantastic,” said Haman.
“It’s a beautiful, beautiful building,” she added. “Our architect, Gary Anderson, and engineer Wayne Schlotfeldt, they’ve designed an absolutely beautiful building.”
Ground preparation is expected to begin in the early spring.
“Right now we are still working through the fundraising process and the design process with the architect and engineer, so we’re guessing about four months from now we’ll probably be going through the bidding process,” Haman said.
“Since it is a pre-engineered metal building, we’ll have to order that, so we’ll probably be looking at this fall for starting construction,” said Haman.
Appel said it was good to see a lot of people show interest in the new center.
“I’m very pleased with the turnout tonight. I think we are going to have a facility that’s fantastic and I think the community is really going to be proud of what they have,” Appel said. “We hope to draw a lot of people from out of town and help stimulate the economy of Webster City, not just Briggs Woods.”
To donate or learning more call the Briggs Woods Golf Course at (515) 832-9572 and ask for Appel or Haman.