Press


Chattanooga Among National Geographic's 50 Next Great Towns

The September 2008 issue of National Geographic's Adventure magazine includes Chattanooga among the "50 Next Great Towns" for living and playing. "A change of address can bring instant gratification," the feature article begins. "You could wake up tomorrow in Missoula and kayak off your own deck at down, sneak in singletrack at lunch in Chattanooga or choose your own adventure in any one of the country's best base camps. But a move is a long-term investment. So this year we selected 50 innovative towns that aren't just prime relocation spots right now but smart choices for the future." The salute to Chattanooga is from Cathi Cannon, an athlete and graphic designer, who likes the easy access to off-road racing, camaraderie with other sports enthusiasts and a thriving community. The article includes a photograph of two outdoors buffs carrying their kayaks down the bank of the Tennessee River.

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Outside Magazine: Chattanooga No. 2 on Best Towns to Live List


Outside magazine is the latest publication to cheer for Chattanooga to its readership. The cover story of the August 2008 issue calls Chattanooga one of the 20 Best Towns in America and ranks the Scenic City No. 2 on its list, second only to Washington, D.C. The profile summarizes the city’s renaissance in the 1990s, its revitalized downtown and the many opportunities -- from boating to trad climbing -- in the great outdoors.

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MSN Money Calls Chattanooga a "New Hot Retirement Spot"
By Suzanne McGee, MSN Money

So goodbye, Florida, and hello, Chattanooga. This midsize city -- where the amenities include hiking and biking trails, an aquarium and a thriving local arts scene -- is one of the leaders in a growing cluster of communities trying to woo baby-boomer retirees to less-traditional destinations for their retirements. Among the others: Asheville, N.C.; Austin, Texas; and the college towns of western Massachusetts.

Choose Chattanooga, a heavily promoted program aimed squarely at this group, is reaping rewards: J. Ed. Marston, the head of marketing for the city's Chamber of Commerce, now fields 1,200 to 1,400 inquiries a month from boomers interested in moving to Chattanooga. That's up from 80 to 100 before the program was launched 18 months ago...

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Chattanooga Named Third-Best Place to Live in U.S.
June, 2008

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee -- Chattanooga is one of America’s best places to live, according to a 2008 listing by RelocateAmerica.com. Nominated for its rich culture, beautiful landscapes and business opportunities, Chattanooga landed a third-place ranking—topping cities like Seattle, WA, Asheville, NC and Albuquerque, NM.

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Canyon Ridge makes Top 10 Tennessee Communities

Fairway Living Magazine - Summer 2008
Top Tennessee Communities
By Chris Dortch

It isn’t in Tennessee, but Canyon Ridge Golf Club in Rising Fawn, Georgia, is so close to Chattanooga it’s a member of the Chattanooga District Golf Association, reason enough for its inclusion here. The community sits high atop Lookout Mountain, and its focal point is a beautiful, challenging golf course designed by Rick Robbins, who says the uniqueness of the property drew him to the project.

“You see sites like this pretty infrequently,” Robbins says. “I’ve built mountain courses in this country and around the world in places like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. And this place is unique, different than all of them.”

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Exclusive Canyon Ridge Introduces Private Residence Club
Gated golf community first in Chattanooga area to break ground on fractional ownership homes

Lookout Mountain, Ga. – This spring, the privately-owned Canyon Ridge Club on Lookout Mountain will begin construction on the first of 24 custom built homes comprising this fractional ownership development. The exclusive Lookout Mountain Private Residence Club will be the first of its kind in the Chattanooga area. Owners will enjoy full membership into the Canyon Ridge Club along with all the benefits of owning a luxury vacation home at a small percentage of the cost and without the responsibility of upkeep.

“Fractional ownership is the most worry-free, cost-effective way to own a vacation home in one or more locations,” said Randy Baker, CEO of RCB Management, Inc. the projects developer. “We are looking forward to developing Chattanooga’s first Private Residence Club and providing vacation-home buyers the opportunity to purchase ownership in a luxurious residence within one of the area’s most prestigious communities.”

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Discovering Chattanooga
Golf Chicago Magazine, March 2008
Michael Stewart and Tim Bona

Alright…OK…Let’s get past the “Choo Choo” nostalgia right away. Yes, the Glenn Miller Orchestra won the first gold record awarded by the music industry for a song about Chattanooga, The Chattanooga Choo Choo. Built in 1909, the famous Chattanooga Choo Choo Terminal Station still stands today as a testament to the golden age of America’s railroads. Can we move on now?

Today, Chattanooga is very much a hip, sleek, mid-sized city tucked away in a scenic valley in extreme southeastern Tennessee amidst picturesque mountains and the Tennessee River...

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GEORGIA GOVERNOR VISITS CANYON RIDGE
Georgia Governor Sonny Purdue and other dignitaries visit Canyon Ridge



Canyon Ridge Developer Randy Baker welcomes Georgia Governor Sonny Purdue along with Georgia State Transportation Board Chairman Mike Evans






HOME SWEET SECOND HOME
Canyon Ridge Club at forefront of second home boom

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Ga. (July 31, 2007) – Lookout Mountain’s only private gated golf community, Canyon Ridge Club, is quietly becoming one of the most recognized names in the second-home market. Whether it’s a golf get-a-away bungalow, mountain vacation property, or a future retirement location, a second home in exclusive Canyon Ridge Club can give you many of the same personal and financial benefits as your first home.

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Home Sweet Second Home - Owner Profile
Atlanta businessman provides insight into family’s Canyon Ridge Club retreat

Lookout Mountain, Ga. – Glenn Grove sought what many other Atlanta area families currently seek – an escape from the hustle and bustle of our ever-expanding city. Although, the desire for a weekend retreat prompted Grove to purchase a second home, he also values the additional benefits for which the acquisition brings. Canyon Ridge Club, Lookout Mountain’s only private gated golf community, became the Groves home away from home just last year.

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Canyon Ridge Club Hires Award Winning Head Golf Professional

Lookout Mountain, GA (August 2, 2007) – Lookout Mountain’s only private gated golf community, Canyon Ridge Club, recently appointed Tennessee Section PGA award winning golf professional, Douglas Amor, to head the club’s 18- hole championship golf course. “We are very pleased to welcome Mr. Amor to the Canyon Ridge Club community. We feel his leadership capabilities, innovative thought process and breadth of experience will greatly impact our members and guests’ golf game,” said John Spiess, general manager and director of golf at Canyon Ridge Club.

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Industry Information

Investing in golf: A refreshing concept
By Margaret Hepp
4/14/2008

The past three years have experienced a steady decline of the number of golfers and rounds. The U.S. economy is uncertain. Present annual return on golf course investments is low. So why is CNL Lifestyle Properties buying every golf course it can get its hands on?

"Golf is still one of the largest single-participant sports in the world," says Byron Carlock, CNL Lifestyle Properties president and c.e.o. The company’s fifth latest real estate investment trust went into effect April 2004 and now owns $2 billion in assets. CNL Lifestyle Properties invests in golf courses as part of its investment thesis, which focuses on the leisure activities of baby boomers. A golfer in his 60s spends three times as much time playing golf as one in his 30s, according to the National Golf Foundation.

"If you look at the fact that someone's turning 50 every seven seconds today and the first boomers have retired, it's a good space for us to invest," Carlock says. "We acknowledge that it's not a growth industry, but it's a steady and good-income industry."

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