Fool’s Paradise at the Clubhouse: Duncan Golf Swings for the Rezoning Jackpot

The email Picon received yesterday regarding this community gathering.

It’s that time again, Reno.

Time to dust off your “Save Our Neighborhood” signs, round up the neighbors, and once again remind Reno City Hall that residents actually live here. Because—surprise!—another developer with deep pockets and shallow plans is back with a dream: to turn part of Lakeridge into a cash cow dressed up as “community improvement.”

On August 5, 2025 at 6 p.m., head over to Bartley Ranch and hear the latest from the folks at SaveLakeridge.com about Duncan Golf Management’s shiny new revised application. The pitch? Rezone 12.5 acres for a hotel, villas, restaurants, bars, outdoor event space, six pickleball courts, two tennis courts, a pool, and a spa. All that’s missing is the monorail.

But there’s a catch. Actually, several. No numbers. No transparency. And Duncan Golf thinks that’s no problem?

For all the bells and whistles in the concept, the Duncan’s don’t seem to have any data on how many people they expect to attract. No crowd counts, no traffic projections, no impact study on how this will affect already congested roads or emergency services. But somehow, this application is sliding onto the desks of the Reno Planning Commission and City Council like it’s ready for prime time.

Maybe because Reno’s leaders have never met a developer they didn’t like—especially one with campaign contributions that come with extra zeroes.

Let’s not gloss over this one. Duncan Golf isn’t just asking for a rezoning—they’re asking for a ten-year window to do it. That’s right: a whole decade to figure out what they actually want to build. Which is code for: “Let us get permission now, and we’ll get around to hosing you later.”

Sound familiar? It should.

Just ask the residents near Rancharrah, or those who watched the Lakeridge Tennis Club get turned into a three-to-four-to-five story apartment complex while the community got a pat on the head and a traffic nightmare. It’s a page right out of the Bait-and-Switch Development Handbook: "We just want to improve the neighborhood!" Translation: “We want to rezone it, flip it, and cash in—thanks for the equity boost!”

Who really benefits? Spoiler alert: It’s not the residents.

Duncan Golf Management wants to turn a serene residential corner into a weekend getaway destination—complete with outdoor events, traffic, noise, and an open invitation to developers everywhere that says: “This city is for sale.”

And unless you show up, speak up, and make noise, the City Council will likely nod politely, vote yes, and tell you it’s all in the name of “economic development.”

But follow the money. Look at the campaign finance reports. Then ask yourself who’s being heard—and who’s being sold out.

Mark your calendar: August 5, 6 p.m. at Bartley Ranch.
Come for the facts. Stay for the accountability. Bring the questions City Hall and Duncan Golf Management hopes you won’t ask.