Batchelor left today for Zagreb, the country's capital, on a 36-day due diligence mission that will set the stage for a longer trip in the second quarter of the year that could firm things up. Batchelor tells GlobeSt.com the current trip will involve setting up an office in Zagreb; visiting potential sites; figuring out local processes and procedures for development; determining what kind of financial obligation will be necessary and; determining what regional materials and manpower could be available for the project.
Croatia is roughly equivalent in size to West Virginia and home to 4.5 million people. The "C"-shaped country sits on the opposite side of the Adriatic Sea from Italy, and its government has started the process to join the European Union. Blackard has a certain affinity for the country, having developed in its hometown of McKinney a replica of Supetar, a Croatian fishing village on the Adriatic Island of Brac.
Blackard is looking for around 1,000 acres on which it would develop at least 27 holes of golf as well as a clubhouse, hotel, marina and residences. Blackard is interested in Croatia because of its topography; it has coastline available for development, says Batchelor. Croatia is interested because the PGA affiliation would support their bid to join the EU, he says.
"Because of the PGA affiliation, several countries are willing to do whatever it takes to get something like that established to help their chances at joining the EU," says Batchelor. "Blackard Group president Jeff Blackard has been all over the European continent identifying opportunities; Croatia is the front runner because they have the coastline available for something like this."
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