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ELIZABETH, Colo. -- For years, the Spring Valley Golf Club has been a destination for golfers trying to get away the rat race of the city.
The hidden gem, in the rolling hills north of Elizabeth, was built on land that at one time was a working ranch.
Now, the owners want to sell the golf course, and have decided to do so via an online auction.
"Typically, with an auction, people perceive that as a distress situation," said Matt Call of NavPoint Real Estate Group in Castle Rock. "It's anything but that here at Spring Valley."
Call said the owners have just decided to make a transition.
But that transition is raising eyebrows among some residents concerned about growth.
Some have reached out to Denver7 to ask if the golf course itself will be redeveloped.
Call said there is no reason to worry.
He said Spring Valley will remain an 18-hole golf course, but added that there are two parcels included in the sale that will be available for commercial development. One is near the third hole and the other near the entrance to the Golf Club.
There are nearly 400 homes that surround the golf course.
Call said another 500 are under construction, and that at buildout, there will be about 1,800 homes.
Elbert County Commissioner Rick Pettitt told Denver7 the County signed off on the homes 20 years ago.
The people who have purchased homes near the golf course say they love it there and understand that more homes will be built nearby.
But other residents in the Elizabeth area are worried about the additional traffic those homes will bring.
Priscilla Point said she lived in Parker but got tired of the traffic and congestion, so she moved to Elizabeth.
Now, her worries are starting to peak again.
"I don't want it to turn into Parker," she said. "I just like it the way it is."
Pettitt said Spring Valley is important to Elbert County because there aren't many other recreational opportunities there.
Realtor Collin Tedesco, of NavPoint Real Estate Group, said Spring Valley will remain an 18 hole golf course.
He said it will be auctioned off online.
"Much like if you found something on eBay that you wanted to bid on," he said. "It will open up about 9 a.m. on the 19th (of November) and run through about noon on the 21st."
If you would like to learn more about the property and the auction click on this link.