Ohio course previously linked to Amazon is officially sold, will shut down in September

CANTON, Ohio – Skyland Pines Golf Club is being sold to developers and will close in September.

Steve DiPietro, whose family owns the course, confirmed the sale Monday. There has been speculation for several months that the 18-hole golf course, driving range and banquet center would be sold.

DiPietro said he cannot name the company that made the purchase but it has plans to develop the property. He declined to talk about specific details of the sale.

Selling the property was an opportunity that his family couldn’t pass up, DiPietro said.

“It’s also an opportunity that’s going to be great for Stark County and Canton,” he said.

Developers are working with a company that will build on the property and generate a large number of jobs, DiPietro said. He didn’t have details about the project.

“Whatever they do with it, they do with it,” he said.

“It would be a great project for the community.”

The Stark Economic Development Board has been involved in discussions with developers, said Ray Hexamer, president and chief executive officer. He declined to comment about the talks because the deal hasn’t been finalized.

“It looks promising, but there’s still a lot of work to be done,” Hexamer said. “It would be a great project for the community.”

Hexamer declined to identify who officials have been talking with, other than saying it’s a developer.

There has been speculation in some circles that Amazon is eyeing the 140-acre tract for a distribution center. DiPietro said he hasn’t had conversations with Amazon.

In May, Canton City Council approved rezoning the golf course for light industry. At that time, DiPietro said the change was being made to place the property in a better position if an opportunity to sell came along.

More: Skyland Pines Golf Club set for rezoning; owner says land not sold despite Amazon rumors

City Council also approved a statement of services in late June to prepare to annex about 5.6 acres of Skyland Pines that is in Plain Township. Deputy Mayor Fonda Williams, the city’s annexation director, did not immediately return a request for comment.

Scott Erickson tees off Monday at Skyland Pines Golf Club in Canton. The facility will be closing down after Labor Day to make room for an undisclosed business development.

Lost wedding venue

The closure comes about a month before Jennifer Fields’ wedding ceremony and reception were to be on Oct. 23 at Skyland Pines. Now, the bride-to-be from East Canton is faced with the challenge of finding a new venue — with the added complication of other weddings delayed until this year because of the pandemic — and a new caterer.

“They tried to offer us another venue, but it’s in Green, and it was changing our wedding date, too,” Fields said.

She wants to keep the same date because family members from Florida already have plane tickets and time off scheduled. Fields said she also has save-the-date cards and invitations, which cost about $300, to update now.

She and her fiancé reserved the venue in December. When they returned about a month ago to arrange time frames for their special day, Fields said, staff “never once” mentioned the possibility of Skyland Pines’ closure.

She had heard rumors about its future but thought the business would contact her if they were true. Skyland Pines informed the couple on July 9 about its closure and reimbursed their $3,500 deposit.

“I was crying when we went to go pick up the check for their thing because I’m just like, ‘What am I supposed to do now?’” Fields said.

Skyland Pines history

Skyland Pines is the former Highland Hills Country Club. Salvatore Joseph “Junior” DiPietro, who founded the Pizza Oven chain, bought the course in 1972 and renamed it Skyland Pines. The banquet center opened in 1975.

The DiPietro family sold the course in 2007, but repurchased the property four years ago. Steve DiPietro said the banquet facility suffered during the coronavirus pandemic, although the golf side of the business picked up.

Skyland Pines is offering a special 30-day membership option on its website for $325.