RCGA And CCQ Announce 40-Million Dollar Golf Course Development Near Montreal

New golf course will host Bell Canadian Open

Contact Victor Cui
RCGA Communications Manager
905-849-9700 ext 227
cui@rcga.org
or Yanik Deschenes
Optimum Public Relations
514-985-8267

MONTREAL, Canada (May 24, 2002) - The Royal Canadian Golf Association and CCQ, a private partnership led by Gordon Stollery and Michael Columbos, announced today their plans to develop a 40-million dollar golf course facility in the City of Terrebonne, near Montreal, Quebec.

CCQ will develop and operate two 18-hole championship golf courses on a 1,000-acre parcel of land in Terrebonne, while the RCGA plans to construct and operate a 120-acre national training centre on the property. The Royal Canadian Golf Association has committed to bring the Bell Canadian Open to the CCQ courses five times over a 20-year period, with the first Open tentatively scheduled to be there in 2006. In addition, the RCGA will bring four national amateur championships to these courses over the same 20-year period.

"The Royal Canadian Golf Association is proud to be announcing the development of two championship golf courses as well as a national training centre in Terrebonne," said Stephen Ross, RCGA Executive Director. "This announcement has been several years in the making, and has become a reality because of the commitment from the partners of CCQ. We believe this development is not only a superb opportunity for the RCGA and CCQ, but will be of tremendous benefit to the City of Terrebonne and the province of Quebec."

"This is a very exciting development for CCQ and we are honoured to be working with partners like the Royal Canadian Golf Association and the City of Terrebonne to help make it happen," said Michael Columbos, one of the principals in CCQ. "Our vision is to develop two world-class courses that will be among the most spectacular and challenging in Canada."

"Quebec's golf product has been flourishing rapidly. The addition of two golf courses will undoubtedly confirm Quebec's position as a world-class destination," stated Richard Legendre, the minister responsible for youth, tourism, leisure and sport as well as fauna and parks.

Located only 30 minutes from downtown Montreal with excellent highway access, the location for the new development was chosen after an exhaustive search in the Montreal region. In addition to having a rich cultural and historical past, the Terrebonne area is projected to be one of Quebec's fastest growing regions.

"Construction of a professional golf course that can handle international competitions clearly demonstrates our commitment to investing in the development of our sports sector. Through this activity, we see an opportunity to showcase our city to a greater number of visitors, from Quebec, Canada and around the world," declared Jean-Marc Robitaille, Mayor of Terrebonne.

Construction is expected to commence in June of 2003. CCQ anticipates the golf courses will be ready for play in June 2005 and the RCGA also plans to open its national training centre at that time. As part of the RCGA's strategic plan, the training centre is one of five such facilities located across the country that will provide free access and coaching to top young golfers in the Player Development Program. The RCGA, working in conjunction with the Quebec Golf Association, will select up to 30 of the top young players from the area to participate in the program under the direction of RCGA Regional Coach Roger Lauzon. The program will allow these athletes to develop their games and prepare them to compete against the best players in the world.

CCQ, a private partnership jointly owned by Columbos and Stollery, bring a reputation of excellence and a proven track record of success in the golf community. Stollery is also the co-owner of one of Canada's most prestigious golf courses, Angus Glen Golf Course in Markham, Ontario, the host site of the 2002 and 2007 Bell Canadian Open.

The RCGA, the governing body of men's amateur golf in Canada, determines national policies and standards relating to the game on behalf of more than 300,000 members. In addition to conducting Canada's six national amateur championships, the RCGA also conducts three professional tournaments: the Bell Canadian Open, the AT&T Canada Senior Open and the Bank of Montreal Canadian Women's Open. Information about all RCGA events and programs can be found on the Internet at www.rcga.org.