Lake Las Vegas: Resort hosts Wendy's tourney

Dave Thomas, founder of the Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers restaurant chain, brings his 10th annual Wendy's Three-Tour Challenge benefit golf tournament to Lake Las Vegas Resort on Tuesday. The event marks the sixth year the made-for-television event has been held at the multi-billion dollar residential, golf and resort property in Henderson.

The tournament, played at the SouthShore Golf Club, is called the ultimate contest of men vs. women and youth vs. experience by organizers of the event.

Representing the Senior PGA Tour will be golf legend and host course designer Jack Nicklaus, along with Tom Watson and Fuzzy Zoeller. Teaming up to defend the 2000 title for the PGA Tour will be Fred Couples, John Daly and Mark Calcavecchia. Rounding out the field and representing the LPGA Tour will be Karrie Webb, Annika Sorenstam and Dottie Pepper.

The event is a fund-raiser for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, whose mission is to ensure that every child has a permanent home and loving family.

"I like to think of the foundation as a voice for children who can't always speak for themselves," said Thomas, who is an adoptee. "We're always looking for bright new ways to bring children and families together, as well as ways to make the process less cumbersome."

Since its inception in 1992, Wendy's Three-Tour Challenge has raised more than $7.5 million. Other activities, including a pro-am tournament and a silent auction, also contribute to the funds.

Advance spectator tickets are available at the resort's Discovery Centre and in the pro shop at Reflection Bay Golf Club. Complimentary tickets will also be available at the gate on the day of the event.

The private SouthShore Golf Club opened in 1995, and is a par-71 course measuring 6,917 yards. It offers as many as five tee boxes per hole, strategic bunkering and forced carries over canyons and water.

"We are proud to once again host this ... tournament on the nationally ranked SouthShore Golf Club. With its dramatic and challenging layout, we are looking forward to yet another exciting and spectacular event," John Herndon, director of golf at the resort, said.

Reflection Bay, a daily fee facility also designed by Nicklaus, opened for play in 1998. Measuring 7,261 yards, the par-72 course features five tee settings, strategic bunkering and plays around arroyos. La Chandele, a restaurant overlooking the resort's 320-acre lake, is located at Reflection Bay.

Also featured is a practice facility with a driving range, seven target greens, putting greens, bunkers and chipping greens.

Reflection Bay is also a host course to the Nicklaus/Flick Golf Improvement School and a former host course to the Wendy's Three-Tour Challenge.

An 18-hole, Tom Weiskopf-designed daily fee course is under construction on 180 acres at the entrance to Lake Las Vegas Resort. Designed with extensive water features and terrain that varies from mountainous to desert, this par-72 course is planned to include a 16,500-square-foot clubhouse. The soon-to-be-named course is scheduled to open by next summer.

At least two additional golf courses are planned, according to Herndon.

"The developers of Lake Las Vegas Resort are committed to building the best golf possible and as more of our signature courses come online, Lake Las Vegas Resort will surely be able to offer a multi-course golfing experience that is unmatched in the Southwest," he said.

A range of housing options is available at the resort, which is a development of Transcontinental Properties Inc.

More than 20 model homes are open among six neighborhoods. These projects range from golf villas priced from $461,000 and semicustom courtyard townhomes starting at $409,000 to golf course homes beginning at $501,000 and lakeside villas priced from $1.55 million.

Custom-home sites are nestled in the hillsides Mediterranean-style and are priced from $370,000 to more than $2.1 million.

To visit, take Interstate 515 to Lake Mead Drive and head east to Lake Las Vegas Parkway. Or, take Interstate 215 to Lake Las Vegas Parkway.

The information office is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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