Thursday was a day of exciting announcements for Dynamic Discs Founder Jeremy Rusco starting with a new title, owner of the former Emporia Community Club.
Rusco confirmed the sale of the property on KVOE’s Morning Show before a meet and greet and Q&A session at the property where he announced a name change for the property at 1801 Rural which will now be known as Champion’s Landing.
The new name may very well be just one of several major changes in the near future as Rusco stated Thursday night he is planning to pursue Star Bonds through the Kansas Department of Commerce to help facilitate major improvements to the property. Nothing is set in stone at this time, however, Rusco says likely improvements will include the kitchen located in the downstairs portion of the main building and possibly the demolition of said building to make way for a newer facility that would still contain much of the “rich history” that has been established over the better than 100-year history of the property.
Rusco also mentioned other potential plans on KVOE’s Newsmaker segment earlier Thursday, including the prospect of a shorter, executive-style golf course. Also mentioned: indoor pickleball to complement Reeble Park — which is on city property near the clubhouse. He also mentioned a possible partnership with Halfway 2 Everywhere, but he did not specify how that collaboration could move forward.
Rusco’s main vision for Champion’s Landing is to completely move away from the longtime country club model which carried with it an atmosphere of exclusivity. That being said, he did note there could likely be some varying levels of membership with the new model, however, nothing is definitive just yet.
With that in mind, Emporian Tracy Edwards inquired Thursday night as to how Rusco plans to remove the stigma while still having some form of membership. Rusco stated removing club from the name of the property was one step in that process and a good place to start in Edwards’ opinion.
To Edwards’ point, Rusco says word of mouth and promotion of the property’s new identity will go a long way in encouraging more community engagement and use of the facilities.
Emporian Jim Kessler was a longtime member of the now-former Emporia Country Club and offered his thoughts on the future of the property Thursday night. Kessler says he is excited about what Rusco has planned and believes Champion’s Landing could become “the destination” for all residents.
This was not Rusco’s first attempt to purchase the property in recent years as he did submit a bid in 2022, however, the Emporia Community Club’s vision gained unanimous approval instead. Membership dropped last year, and explorations into other sustainability options indicated a costly approach with no guarantee of community or leadership support for a finished plan.
The Community Club’s original golf course was finished in 1915 after the charter was approved in 1911 and the clubhouse was built in 1912. Besides a 9-hole golf course and clubhouse, the Community Club currently consists of a disc golf course, dining facilities, banquet rooms and an outdoor swimming pool. The Reeble Park pickleball complex west of the clubhouse is on city property.
