The board of directors of Green Gables Country Club will vigorously defend the club in a lawsuit filed Friday by 52 former members, the club’s attorney, Shelley Don, said Wednesday.
The suit alleges a breach of contract after the June sale of the club at 6800 W. Jewell Ave. in Lakewood.
The members resigned last year after they were told club finances were poor.
“These former members chose to resign from the club at a time when their departure made the club’s financial difficulties that much worse,” Don said in a statement. “After those members resigned, Green Gables received an unsolicited offer to sell the club.”
USL Denver Green Gables LLC bought the club’s 152 acres for $15 million with plans for a mixed-use development. The club will close Oct. 31.
Don said the club tried to resolve the dispute and on July 15 offered to make “a generous contribution” in the members’ names to a charity if they would agree to not pursue litigation. There was no response.
“The response of these ex-members is akin to voluntarily selling a stock, watching the stock’s value increase after the sale, and then insisting on having the stock returned in order to enjoy the gain in value,” Don said.
Ann Schrader, The Denver Post
