The Escalante Golf lawsuit history is short but uneven. The Fort Worth-based owner and operator of private golf courses lost a multi-year bankruptcy and land-use fight with a California homeowners association over The Crosby National Golf Club, defeated a Florida website accessibility claim on a motion to dismiss, and has otherwise appeared in court records mainly as a buyer of distressed clubs rather than as a defendant.
The Crosby National Golf Club Case
The most substantial legal dispute in Escalante’s history involved The Crosby National Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, California, which Escalante purchased in 2009. In 2013, The Crosby Estate at Rancho Santa Fe Master Association sued the club, alleging that hosting public weddings, concerts, and fundraisers created traffic, parking, and noise problems for residents of the gated community.1San Diego Union-Tribune. Judge Rules for Crosby HOA in Golf Club Suit
In 2015, the club filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the Northern District of Texas, citing more than $2 million in legal fees from the HOA fight. The HOA moved to transfer the case to California and won. A federal bankruptcy judge acknowledged that venue was technically proper in Fort Worth because the club’s management “nerve center” was there, but ruled that the “interest of justice” and “convenience of the parties” required transfer to the Southern District of California. The court found that California had a “compelling interest in settling real property disputes that are governed by its laws” and that the Texas filing was “counter-productive to any effort at a consensual resolution.” Court documents confirmed that five or six members of the club’s management team were principals of Escalante Golf, Inc., which also served as a lender to the club entity.2CLLA. Crosby National Golf Club Bankruptcy Primer
On the merits, the HOA prevailed. On March 31, 2016, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Margaret Mann ruled that the club facilities could not be rented to the public for events, finding that the property was a private club for members and their guests and that public events violated county land-use rules. Escalante had argued that event revenue was necessary to keep the club financially stable; the judge sided with the homeowners.1San Diego Union-Tribune. Judge Rules for Crosby HOA in Golf Club Suit In January 2017, Bando National Corporation bought the club’s assets out of bankruptcy, ending Escalante’s involvement with the property.3Crosby Estate HOA. Crosby Crooner Spring 2017 Newsletter
Price v. Escalante – Black Diamond Golf Club LLC
In January 2019, Joel Price sued Escalante – Black Diamond Golf Club LLC in federal court in Florida, alleging that the Black Diamond Ranch website violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Price, who was visually impaired, said the site failed to meet WCAG 2.0 accessibility standards, blocking screen-reader access to information about lessons, membership, tee times, rental packages, and dining. He asked for a declaratory judgment, an order requiring WCAG 2.0 compliance, appointment of an independent ADA consultant for five years, damages, and attorney’s fees.4Accessibility.com. Joel Price vs. Escalante – Black Diamond Golf Club LLC At least one legal commentator described the filing as an example of “drive-by litigation” in the ADA website space.5SWFL Business and IP Blog. Discrimination Category
The case did not last long. On April 29, 2019, the court granted Black Diamond’s motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim and gave Price 14 days to amend. He did not. On May 14, 2019, Judge James S. Moody Jr. closed the case, and it was terminated the next day.6PACER Monitor. Price v. Escalante – Black Diamond Golf Club LLC
Litigation Tied to Escalante Properties but Not to Escalante
Two other legal proceedings often turn up in searches for Escalante Golf lawsuits, but the company was not a defendant in either.
Before Escalante bought Black Diamond Ranch in 2011, original developer Stan Olsen faced a decade of homeowner suits alleging he had defrauded them into buying equity memberships that turned out to be stock in a not-for-profit company he controlled. Circuit Court Judge Patricia Thomas dismissed the remaining suits on October 24, 2013, finding that the statute of limitations had run for most plaintiffs and that the last two cases failed to prove fraud or bad faith. The court noted that Escalante Golf was not a party to the lawsuits.7Citrus County Chronicle. Judge Ends Lawsuits Against Black Diamond
Escalante was also the buyer, not a defendant, in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of The International Golf Club & Resort in Bolton, Massachusetts. The 665-acre property filed in May 2020, and Escalante purchased it in February 2021 for $10 million, with the proceeds designated for creditors.8Milford Daily News. International Golf Club Resort Bolton Bankruptcy Wedding Deposits The bankruptcy drew local coverage because couples who had booked weddings with the prior owner received only fractions of their deposits; one family that had paid $30,000 received about $3,025.9Telegram & Gazette. International Golf Club Resort Bolton Bankruptcy Wedding Deposits Those debts predated Escalante’s purchase.
Kelly Ranch: A Business Split, Not a Lawsuit
In January 2024, Escalante ended its involvement with the Kelly Ranch project in Aledo, Texas, where it had planned a $100 million private club. President David McDonald said the company was “unable to find common ground on the project’s direction” with developer Ryan Voorhees and Kelly Ranch Estates LLC.10Fort Worth Inc. Escalante Golf Pulls Out of Planned Kelly Ranch Development The exit did not produce reported litigation. Development at Kelly Ranch continued under separate management toward a spring 2025 opening.11PaperCity Magazine. Kelly Ranch Golf Club to Anchor New Community in Aledo
Current Legal Status
Escalante Golf now owns and operates properties in 17 U.S. states under McDonald’s leadership, and has continued to expand its portfolio through acquisitions including Canyata in Illinois, Hawks Ridge in Georgia, and Dublin-based tour operator GreenGolfBall.12Forbes. Why Escalante Bought One of Golf’s Most Exclusive Clubs for Icon Golf13Fort Worth Report. Fort Worth’s Escalante Acquires an Irish Golf Travel Firm No new litigation involving the company has been publicly reported.