Carson City’s Empire Ranch files for bankruptcy, course doing better

Empire Ranch Golf Course has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection listing $1.2 million in debt owed to 19 creditors plus an IRS claim.

Owner Dwight Millard said the filing in Reno court is the second time Empire Ranch has been in bankruptcy court.

“We were there once before and it was dismissed,” he said.

He made it clear the bankruptcy filing involves only the golf course, not his other business operations.

“It’s just the golf course. Everything else is doing fine right now,” he said.

He said Empire had to file because the mortgage was due in September.

“We’ve got a substantial appraisal and a small mortgage,” he said. “This gives us a chance to reorganize because things are doing so much better.

“It’s not a big deal,” he said.

Millard, a contractor, has substantial other holdings in Carson City.

He owes the city $185,000 in back taxes for the course.

The future of the course has been of key interests to the homeowners around the 27-hole course and clubhouse, who have repeatedly expressed concern about what the city or a new owner would do with it.

For the city, what happens is of interest because the course has a contract with the city to take treated wastewater effluent.

Treated effluent goes to water the course in part because federal requirements say it cannot be discharged into the Carson River.