Gov. Paul LePage holds the ribbon as Boothbay Harbor Country Club owner Paul Coulombe and his wife Giselaine cut the ribbon to the clubhouse May 11. (Maia Zewert photo)
The Boothbay Harbor Country Club celebrated the completion of its new clubhouse with a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 11, a week prior to the club’s opening May 18.
Maine Gov. Paul LePage joined Boothbay Harbor Country Club owner Paul Coulombe and his wife Giselaine for the ceremony, which celebrated the completion of a $50 million project three years in the making.
Coulombe purchased the country club in 2013 for $1.4 million. He said the first time he and his wife visited the property, there wasn’t a single blade of green grass.
George Whitten (left) shakes hands with Maine Gov. Paul LePage while his daughter, Amy Whitten, looks on at the Boothbay Harbor Country Club on May 11. George Whitten, a World War II veteran, raised the flag during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. (Maia Zewert photo)
“It’s had a big transformation, better than I could possibly imagine,” Coulombe said.
In addition to the new clubhouse, the $50 million project also included improvements to the golf course and the construction of a new entrance to the property, Boothbay Harbor Country Club spokesperson Michelle Amero said. The Knickerbocker Group, of Boothbay, was the general contractor for the project.
The construction of the clubhouse took roughly 18 months and employed more than 60 subcontractors, with up to 100 workers on site during the busiest days, Amero said. The completed course is expected to provide 80 jobs.
The 32,000-square-foot clubhouse includes a 54-seat bar with a balcony, locker rooms, a parking garage for up to 75 golf carts, heated dining terraces, and a fire pit overlooking the 18-hole golf course.
The clubhouse also features two restaurants, Grille 19 and Paul’s Steakhouse.
“Everybody probably thought I named it after myself, but I actually named it after the governor,” Coulombe joked, drawing laughs from the audience.
The Boothbay Harbor Country Club will open on Wednesday, May 18, two days ahead of schedule.
“It’s on budget and on schedule, which never happens,” Coulombe said. “We have such a short season here in Maine, so it was important to get it done and open to enjoy the whole summer.”
LePage praised Coulombe for adding to the economic development in the area, something LePage said the state is in need of.
“This is going to a treasure for years to come, and it’s going to be an attraction for people to come here,” LePage said. “All we have to do now is build a huge hotel so we can get people to come and stay here and play.”
When his time in Augusta is done, LePage said he looks forward to spending time at his home in Boothbay and playing on the course.
“This is not just the best facility in Maine, this is a world-class facility,” LePage said.
The next phase of the project will include a back entrance to the club, villas, a pool, tennis courts, and a fitness center, Boothbay Harbor Country Club President John Suczynski said. The estimated completion for the additions is spring 2018.
