Country club events off to promising start, official says
Supervisors receive report on early results as long dormant clubhouse reopens
Reading Hospitality Management President Craig Poole told the Exeter Township supervisors Monday, Jan. 23, that his company is keeping its promise to improve the Reading Country Club despite a board member's opposition.
Poole and associates were on hand to make a presentation on results at the club for the fourth quarter of 2022.
RHM has been successful in the first months of its effort to turn around operations at the clubhouse, which had been vacant for five years, Poole said.
The company's report indicated 15 events were held at the club in 2022, bringing in $69,906 in gross revenue.
When the township signed its contract with RHM, no events were projected for 2022.
The report said RHM invested $155,961 in the club in 2022 and took a loss of $35,767 on events put on for the community.
The company also operates events at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Reading. Due to high demand for space in that facility, RHM turned to Exeter as it was looking for other places to host events with a community focus in mind.
RHM officials said its investments paid for manpower, marketing and advertising, ergonomic chairs, high quality linens and lease payments to the township, in addition to 25% of event revenue paid to the township.
Poole pointed to Supervisor David Hughes and said, “At the last meeting we were told by this guy here, ‘you better be careful ….'”
Hughes, who opposes the deal with RHM, replied, “‘This guy here' is a township supervisor elected by the people of this township. I'm not ‘this guy'. You want respect, give respect.”
“I don't expect any from you, sir,” Poole replied.
Poole went on, saying: “The long story short is he (Hughes) made a threat and said, ‘You better make sure you're doing this right, or if I win you're not going to be here after May (the primary election for township supervisor seats).'
“So why would we want to put a whole lot more money in when I have a guy right here threatening me outside after he was mad because we had a conversation. I thought, I'm not a little kid. You don't threaten me. But now we have to be careful what we're doing, and I need you (the public) to know the truth.”
Poole said that in the interest of transparency, RHM decided to publish all the available numbers to date on the country club and offer it to the public and the board.
Poole went on to say that 15 weddings already have been booked for 2023 for an estimated return of $300,000.
He said RHM wants to reopen the restaurant and run the entire club.
“The money is coming in because I have a sales team and marketing programs in place,” Poole said. “We are going to take away the anger, and give everyone joy.”
In other business, the board voted 4-1 to approve rules and regulations governing conduct of the board and public at township meetings. Supervisor Ted Gardella said it was put forward due to Hughes' behavior.
Supervisors voted 4-1 to authorize the creation of the fire advisory board.
Hughes voted against both measures.
The board voted unanimously in favor of approving capital improvements to be completed by Pennsylvania American Water and for a memorial plaque in honor of Josh Brown to be placed at Community Park.
Brown died of a heart condition while playing basketball at Community Park in 2008 and was an Exeter student.