Dec. 27. 2019

The former clubhouse for the Beaver Creek Golf Course in Beaver Creek, Minn., has reopened and once again is hosting weddings and other events.

A little more than a year ago, Rick Gourley of Sioux Falls bought the nine-hole golf course, which opened in 2001 but had been closed since 2007. Crews have been restoring the course for play, and they remodeled the building, which once held a restaurant and event space.

Now, SpringBrooke Events, Golf & Grill features a banquet room that can seat more than 400 guests for dinner, said general manager Chris Yungeberg, who started in August to help with the finishing touches.

There’s a cocktail lounge where guests can mingle, and that space also can be rented for smaller parties.

Since late October, the event center has hosted a magic show, a baby shower and Frontier Bank’s company holiday party. Tonight is the first wedding, with about 300 guests expected, Yungeberg said.

“We have quite a few openings for 2020,” he said. “We have about five weddings booked so far, and we have a couple of bridal showers, some baby showers and smaller events.”

The golf course is on the east side of the small Minnesota town of Beaver Creek, which is along Interstate 90, just 16 miles east of the Interstate 229 interchange.

“You look at the event centers and event barns in the Sioux Falls area, and there are some of them that are booked out for almost two years, so I definitely think there’s a market for it,” Yungeberg said. “There’s definitely a need for someplace close to Sioux Falls with good views that’s reasonably priced.”

The building includes a full kitchen, which is open to any licensed caterer, and the event center has a full liquor license.

“We’re very reasonable,” Yungeberg said of rates. “I think in peak season, so say a July wedding on a Saturday night, would cost about $3,500.” In addition to the space, the fee includes amenities such as tables, chairs, tablecloths, napkins, the sound system and bartenders.

The upgrades to the property aren’t done yet either. Once warmer weather returns, SpringBrooke will create an area on the northeast side of the building where outdoor ceremonies can be held.

The lower level of the building will be renovated into a bar and grill with its own kitchen. The menu will feature burgers, fries and pizzas, “simple stuff to have before or after your golf game,” Yungeberg said.

The lower level also is the area where golfers will check in and rent golf carts.

The ability to play a round of golf will make a great addition for corporate gatherings and wedding parties, Yungeberg said.

“The intention is to have the golf course ready for hopefully summer 2020,” he said. “We changed the layout some to make it a little more friendly, a little easier to play.”