IT’S OFFICIAL: Sunny Hwang, owner of the Glen Ivy Golf Club, closed escrow on Tom’s Farms on June 9.

New owner plans to improve the attraction

Tom’s Farms has been purchased by Sunny Hwang, owner of the Glen Ivy Golf Club. The purchase price has not been disclosed for the 46-acre tourist attraction that includes 16 buildings and structures, and two adjacent undeveloped parcels.

Hwang intends to continue the legacy of Tom Barnes, who started the business 46 years ago, and will maintain Tom’s Farms as a retail and amusement attraction. “I plan to update the property to make it more enjoyable for families,” Hwang said.

Among the attractions Hwang said he is considering is the possibility of a small-scale farm with barnyard animals and a vegetable garden. He said the addition of more shops is possible, as well as changes for the restaurants. “I definitely want to add more shade,” Hwang said, “to improve the shopping experience and to provide areas where families can just relax and enjoy the surroundings.

Hwang said he wanted to get through escrow, which closed June 9, before laying out timelines for specific projects.

He also noted that a hotel might be considered for one of the two parcels located at the southwest corner of Temescal Canyon and Lawson roads, and at the southeast corner of Temescal Canyon and Squaw Mountain roads. “Whatever is developed on the parcels should be compatible with the golf course and Tom’s Farms,” Hwang said.

Barnes, a much-respected and admired businessman, died of cancer in July 2001 at the age of 55. A decision was made in January of this year to sell the property, and it was listed with Braun International Real Estate which published a 20-page “call for offers” sales memorandum.

While the Cheese & Wine Shoppe building was included in the purchase, the business was not. The building is leased and the business is owned by Frank Hetland Sr. and sons Frank Jr. and Brandon. Barnes and Hetland were close friends for many years and the Cheese & Wine Shoppe was one of the early businesses at the Farm.

Hwang, who owns and is president of Sunland Properties Inc., surprised many people in March 2016 when a U.S. District Court judge deemed his $4.3 million offer the winning bid to purchase Glen Ivy Golf Club. Also submitting a bid was GOCO Hospitality, a Bangkok-based international wellness hospitality development and management company, which purchased the Glen Ivy Hot Springs spa in January 2016.

The golf course, adjacent to Trilogy, had been in receivership since March 2014 when the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged then-owner World Capital Market Inc. of operating a worldwide pyramid scheme and seized the company’s assets.

Hwang, 68, said he finds the natural beauty and mountain topography of Temescal Valley impressive, and views it regularly. Although Sunland Properties is headquartered in Rancho Cucamonga, he hasn’t been an absentee business owner. While making improvements to the golf course, he’s also an avid golfer, and is often seen on the links trying to improve his game.

SEE RELATED STORY: Tom’s Farms could be sold

GOCO RETREAT TEMESCAL VALLEY: GOCO Hospitality, an international company specializing in the wellness hospitality business, purchased Glen Ivy Hot Springs in January 2016.

(Published July 12, 2018)
It was a standing-room-only crowd that attended the June Municipal Advisory Council meeting to learn what GOCO Hospitality has planned for Glen Ivy Hot Springs.

The 158-year-old spa and adjacent property was purchased in January 2016 by GOCO, an international wellness hospitality development and management company headquartered in Bangkok.

The current resort covers about 20 acres and GOCO seeks to develop the remaining 62.5 acres which include open land and groves, and the conference and retreat center used by Glen Ivy’s former owner, the spiritual group Emissaries of Divine Light.

Joel Morse of T&B Planning, a Tustin-based consulting firm specializing in land use planning, told the audience plans for the 

property were still in the early stages and not all questions could be answered. He asked that questions be withheld until after his presentation.

Morse said, “GOCO’s goal is to make Glen Ivy a world-class retreat and wellness center.” To that end, GOCO asked current Glen Ivy guests what they would like added to the facility. Popular answers included an outdoor bar and lounge concept, evening activities, a café with coffee shop, additional pools and water facilities, plus workshops, seminars and demonstrations.

Since purchasing the spa, GOCO has made $2.5 million in improvements, including remodels of the restaurant, bar and personal services areas, changes to the menu which now includes many home-grown vegetables, and offers evening access during the summer months.

Future plans include the Glen Ivy Hot Springs Resort Hotel with 120-140 rooms for short-term stays, and an all-day dining restaurant. The hotel also will have a library and meeting spaces, a pool with lounging areas and a kids’ learning center.

Also planned is a Community Retail Village, with shops geared to lifestyle- and wellness-related retail, coffee shop and deli, organic food store, art gallery, workshop spaces for classes and events, and a central courtyard for community events, weekend markets and exhibitions.

GOCO Retreat Temescal Valley is being designed for guests interested in a more intense wellness experience and a longer stay. The GOCO Wellness Retreat will feature 30 to 40 rooms, with doctors and specialists available for consultations, treatment rooms, a wellness restaurant with personalized food menus, tea lounge and juice bar, and areas designated for indoor and outdoor activities.

GOCO plans to build and manage 60 attached residences in three- to four-story buildings, ranging in size from 650 to 1,600 square feet. The units will be available for lease, sale or lease back and will be fully furnished.

Also planned are 180 detached, single-family homes ranging in size from 2,000 to 5,000 square feet that target individual ownership by people who appreciate the wellness concept and long-stay residents.

Outdoor activities, in addition to the current pools and mineral baths, will include yoga and exercise areas, hiking, biking and walking trails, a lazy river for rafting, organic gardening, Japanese onsen (bath) and gardens, and community parks including an Oak Tree Preservation Park. The “Temescal Experience in Temescal Valley” will feature sweat lodges (saunas) and mineral baths, recreating what attracted Native Americans to the area centuries ago.

APPLICATION SUBMITTED IN MARCH

Morse told the audience that the specific plan application for the project was submitted to the county in March, but conceptual designs were still being worked on and that a GOCO design team from Bangkok will be here refining the plan over the next two months. “We have 80 percent assuredness that what we want to do can be done,” Morse said.

After the specific plan is submitted for county review, a scoping meeting will be held to solicit public comment on the plan. At that point, the environmental impact report (EIR), process will begin, and all substantive public comments will be addressed.

Once the draft EIR is completed, public comments again will be solicited and reviewed by county planners in preparation for a public hearing before the county Planning Commission. Commissioners will vote to recommend either approval or denial of the project to the Board of Supervisors.

The final hearing, again allowing public comments, will be before the Board of Supervisors which will vote to approve or deny the project.

Morse said the process before the county is lengthy but GOCO will keep the community updated as each step unfolds.

TRAFFIC IS MAJOR CONCERN

The primary concern voiced by those in attendance was the traffic impact the expansion would have on Temescal Canyon Road and Trilogy Parkway. Morse said the traffic impact analysis would be addressed in the EIR. He was open to the suggestion that GOCO obtain property in another area of Temescal Valley that would serve as a parking lot for employees who would be bused to and from the retreat. Glen Ivy currently has about 300 employees and receives 190,000 visitors each year.

Trilogy residents balked at an easement GOCO would need for a gated road connection to Trilogy’s Gleneagles Drive cul-de-sac that would serve as a secondary exit from the retreat in case of an emergency. Morse said he had reviewed the situation and learned that Shea Homes had granted the easement to Glen Ivy Hot Springs prior to Trilogy being built.

VIEWS, OAK TREES ALSO QUESTIONED

Other concerns by Trilogy residents included the viewscape from homes located on the seventh hole of the golf course. They questioned the location of solar panels, the location of homes in the retreat’s residential area, and how many trees would be removed from the stand of oaks that borders Trilogy.

Morse said he couldn’t answer all the questions because the conceptual designs were not yet completed but they planned to remove as few oak trees as possible and, currently, only eight homes were planned in that area and it would be a side view of the residences. He said the plan was to buffer the retreat’s northern boundary with Trilogy.

One woman had issues with the lights in the parking lot, calling them “blinding,” and asked if something could be done about the situation and if the parking lot was to be expanded, could different lighting be used.

Morse told her and others in the audience, “That’s why we’re meeting with you this early in the process. We want to work with you to address concerns and issues now while we’re still in the planning stages.”

Also attending the meeting was Ingo Schweder, CEO and founder of GOCO, his wife, Josephine Leung, responsible for design and development, and Clive McNish, general manager of Glen Ivy Hot Springs.

GOCO has world-class plans for Glen Ivy Hot Springs

(Published March 8, 2017)
Action taken by the county’s Board of Supervisors at the March 7, 2017 meeting could allow Glen Ivy Hot Springs to become a “world-class” retreat and wellness center.

The 157-year-old spa and adjacent property was purchased in January 2016 by GOCO Hospitality, an international wellness hospitality development and management company headquartered in Bangkok.

The current resort covers about 20 acres and GOCO seeks to develop the remaining 62.5 acres which include open land and groves, and the conference and retreat center used by Glen Ivy’s former owner, the spiritual group Emissaries of Divine Light.

The general plan foundation and land-use changes approved by the supervisors would allow the creation of a specific plan to guide the development of the project. The approval of the amendment allows the planning to begin, but does not give approval to the project.

The new development has been named GOCO Retreat Temescal Valley with plans for a retreat accommodation with 85 rooms and 10 pool villas. Other amenities include hotel, full-service wellness center, gymnasium, yoga academy, organic farm and gardens plus a farmer’s market, outdoor recreation areas and hiking trails, banquet and meeting rooms, a retail component, kids club and an education center for holistic medicine. Glen Ivy currently has about 150 employees and receives 170,000 visitors each year. It’s anticipated the Retreat will employ an additional 150 people.

The plans also include about 90 residential units – two- and three-bedroom homes and one- to three-bedroom condominiums. GOGO founder and CEO Ingo Schweder said the retreat industry has noted increasing support of wellness communities that combine accommodations with residential offerings.

While the land-use changes were approved, when completed the specific plan must still be reviewed by the county Planning Commission and then approved by the Board of Supervisors. Both meetings would involve public hearings, giving people the opportunity to comment either for against the project.

Schweder said GOCO currently is engaged in the first phase of the plan – repairing and upgrading Glen Ivy spa.  With the general plan amendment approval, he said master planning now can begin and GOCO hopes to have the project approved this fall with construction starting in 2018 and completion by the end of 2019. Learn more about GOCO at www.gocohospitality.com/

See proceedings from the March 7, 2017 Board of Supervisors meeting  HERE

Offers are being accepted on the 46-year-old landmark

Tom’s Farms, the iconic landmark that has defined Temescal Valley for decades, is for sale.

Braun International Real Estate has issued a call for offers for the 46-acre tourist attraction that includes 16 buildings and structures, and two adjacent undeveloped parcels.

While no sales price is listed in the memorandum, it’s noted that financial information will be provided upon receipt of an executed confidentiality agreement and that offers are being considered on a first-come-first-offer basis. The business and property are owned by the family of Thomas H. Barnes Sr., who died of cancer in July 2001 at the age of 55.

The Tom Barnes story is a familiar one in Temescal Valley. Tom grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, and began his career selling his father’s strawberries door-to-door. He moved west in the early ‘70s and leased land in Lake Elsinore where he opened a produce stand that did so well the landowner decided he wanted it and evicted Tom.

According to the Tom’s Farms’ website, “Driving home to Anaheim, slightly brokenhearted, but with his boundless energy, strong work ethic and unwavering integrity still intact, he found an idyllic spot in Temescal Canyon, right below the Cleveland National Forest. He named his place Tom’s Farms.”

Barnes eventually purchased the land and in 1974 built the 3,500-square-foot produce stand followed by the hamburger restaurant in 1977. The construction of the Interstate 15 in 1978 provided easy access for freeway motorists. Tom’s Farms continued to grow and through the years additional shops, restaurants and attractions were added.

While all assets, inventory and restaurants are included in the sale, Tom’s Farms does not own the Cheese & Wine Shoppe business. The building is leased by the Frank Hetland Sr. family that owns the business. Barnes and Hetland were close friends for many years.

According to Robert Lizano, Tom’s Farms’ general manager, “The family has made this difficult decision to sell the property and is in hopes of finding another family or group of investors willing to continue the Tom’s Farms legacy.”

Lizano added, “The siblings have chosen to sell because they believe a new set of owners would have the necessary long-term financial commitment to truly take the complex to new competitive levels.”

Lizano acknowledged that if a sale occurs there is no guarantee that the buyer will retain the Tom’s Farms operation. “But it will be a major goal of the sale objective to find someone who will retain the Tom’s Farms business concept and make it grow to an even more beautiful complex,” he said.

The 20-page Call for Offers brochure can be viewed at http://www.braunco.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/TomsFarms_OM.pdf

A MUCH-NEEDED FACILITY: An artist’s rendering of the three-story ‘Riverside Medical Clinic Temescal Valley’ to be constructed at the southwest corner of Knabe Road and Retreat Parkway.

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 12 gave fast track approval to Riverside Medical Clinic to construct a multi-million-dollar health care facility at the southwest corner of Knabe Road and Retreat Parkway.

Construction should begin in early 2018.

Medical clinic hearing is Sept. 12; comments due now

(Published Sept. 1, 2017

A public hearing before the Riverside County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Sept. 12 is expected to result in the approval of a multi-million-dollar health care facility to be constructed at the southwest corner of Knabe Road and Retreat Parkway.

Riverside Medical Clinic, with seven offices in Riverside County, plans to build a three-story, 96,352-square-foot building with 484 parking spaces.

The county has fast-tracked the project which streamlines land-use approvals and the permit process, and allows it to bypass a Planning Commission public hearing. To qualify for fast track consideration, a project must meet one of the following:

• Create a minimum of 40 permanent, full-time jobs
• Invest a total of at least $5 million in land, buildings and/or equipment
• Produce $12.5 million in taxable annual sales

The public can comment on the project at the Sept. 12  hearing or email comments to:
Project Planner Dave Alvarez, dalvarez@rivco.org

Comments should be sent no later than Monday, Sept. 11. Alvarez also can be reached at 951-955-3728.

Health care facility could be built here

(Published Dec. 14, 2016)

Riverside Medical Clinic, with seven offices in Riverside County, plans to build a multi-million-dollar health care facility at the southwest corner of Knabe Road and Retreat Parkway.

The three-story, 97,000-square-foot building will have 486 parking spaces, and entrances and exits from both streets. Full access is planned from Retreat Parkway. Knabe Road will have a right and left turn into the parking lot and a right turn from the parking lot, but left turns on to Knabe will not be allowed. Neither roadway will have a traffic signal.

Forty physicians are planned to staff the facility and services offered will include internal medicine/family practice, cardiology, pulmonology, dermatology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, general surgery, neurology, OB/gyn, ophthamology, optometry, orthopedic surgery, otolaryngology, audiology, pediatrics, plastic surgery, podiatry, rheumatology, urgent care/occupational medicine and urology.

Diagnostic and patient support services planned are out-patient surgery, cardiac and pulmonology testing, radiology/imaging, laboratory, pharmacy, health education, a cafeteria and clinical trials/research. Clinic hours will be from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

Riverside Medical Clinic Temescal Valley will replace the current facility on Magnolia Avenue in Corona. It’s expected to open in summer 2018.

Congratulations to Jerry Sincich and the We Are Temescal Valley Development Committee members who, in meeting with developers over the past three years, have stressed the need for medical services in Temescal Valley.

The We Are Temescal Valley Business Committee has launched a campaign to encourage residents to “shop Temescal Valley first” this holiday season. The reasons?

1.  A percentage of sales tax revenue is returned to the local governing agency where the purchase was made. Shop at Tom’s Farms – the revenue is returned to Riverside County to be used in providing services to Temescal Valley. Shop at The Crossings or Dos Lagos – the revenue is returned to the city of Corona to be used in providing services to Corona residents.

2.  Many Temescal Valley business owners and managers live in Temescal Valley. They are our friends and neighbors – our kids go to school together, we belong to the same valley organizations, we attend the same church. We should support each other.

3.  Local nonprofit groups — PTAs, churches, youth groups — expect donations from Temescal Valley businesses when doorprizes are needed. The best way to show appreciation for such donations is to support that merchant.

4.  No crowds, no long lines, no traffic jams (unless there’s an accident on the I-15 and everyone is using Temescal Canyon Road!)

THE SHOP LOCAL CHALLENGE
The business committee, led by Chairman Dan Smith, has put together a list of gift and stocking-stuffer ideas — the Temescal Valley Holiday Gift Guide. VIEW IT HERE.

Once residents make a local purchase, the committee asks that they take a photo of themselves holding the store’s gift bag, post it in on their Facebook page and the We Are Temescal Valley Facebook page issuing a challenge to two Temescal Valley friends to “Shop Local” and do the same. Yes, the committee is blatantly copying the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge!

If you’d like more information on the Shop Local challenge, the Business Committee or how to be included in the Gift Guide, direct your questions to WeAreTV.org@gmail.com

Other committee members are Miriam Cardenas, Glen and Kelly Nelson, Cathie Smith, Michelle Capodanno, Rob Mucha, Tracy Davis, Pam Garcia and John Watson.

TOM’S FARMS | 23900 Temescal Canyon Road | 951-277-4422

We often take for granted great shopping opportunities located right in our back yards. This long-time Temescal Valley tourist attraction can be difficult to maneuver on the weekends – but it’s a quick, not crowded in-and-out on other days of the week.

CHOCOLATES

THE SWEET SHOP
Suggestions:

• A wide array of candy – fudge, chocolates, gummies, brittles, licorice, taffy, jellies, gumballs – to name a few.
• Candy and nut gift baskets – premade or made to order.
  

  SUGAR-FREE SWEETS

• Gourmet jams and jellies, plus soup mixes.
• Gourmet popcorn.
• Large selection of sugar-free candies.

FRUIT BASKETS

PRODUCE STAND
Suggestions:

• Fresh fruit baskets and boxes, and dried fruit gifts – premade or made to order.

FURNITURE STORE and elsewhere on the Farm
Suggestions:

GIFT CARDS

• Gift store has large assortment of unique items hard to find elsewhere.
• Tom Farm’s gift cards.
• Santa visits 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
• Festival of lights – 200 displays; over 1 million lights.
• Fresh Christmas trees.

CHEESE & WINE SHOPPE  |At Tom’s Farms | 951-277-9463

GIFT BASKETS

While located at Tom’s Farms, the Cheese and Wine Shoppe has been family owned and operated by Temescal Valley residents for over 30 years. The holiday season specialty is gift baskets and boxes — whether just one for your neighbor or 300 for your corporate family. The Shoppe will ship the baskets and boxes for you. And when shopping takes the place of dinner, stop in at the Deli for fresh pizza and sandwiches.

• 600 varieties of wine in all price ranges. The award-winning wine selection voted Best Wine Shoppe in the Inland Empire for the past four years.
  

  GIFT BOXES

• 200 varieties of import and craft beers, many unique and hard-to-find.
• Wide range of champagnes, including Cristal and Dom Perignon.
• Gourmet foods, including cheese, meats, olives, sauces, salsa and seasonings.
• Delicious homemade breads baked daily at the Shoppe, plus cookies and pies.
• Wine and beer tastings.

GLEN IVY HOT SPRINGS | 25000 Glen Ivy Road |  1-888-453-6489

GIFT OF LUXURY

Whether “Taking the Waters” in the spa’s hot springs, frolicking in Club Mud or luxuriating in The Grotto, a Glen Ivy Hot Springs gift card is a welcomed, appreciated gift. Services include massage, facials, manicures and pedicures. Founded in 1860, Glen Ivy Hot Springs is Temescal Valley’s oldest business.

Suggestions:

• Now through Dec. 21, purchase a $100 Glen Ivy gift card for $85
• Gift cards in other price ranges also available.

VONS | 11800 De Palma Road |  951-603-0809 

YUMMY CAKES!

A supermarket for holiday shopping? It’s a quick stop to pick up a last minute hostess gift, baked goods for the kids’ holiday party at school or a prepared item for a holiday potluck or party.

Suggestions:

• Festive and tasty holiday baked goods either pre-made or made to order. Cakes for every occasion. Wide selection of Danish pastries, gourmet muffins and bagels, and Mexican sweet breads.
  

  HOLIDAY FLORAL

• Check out the gorgeous holiday centerpieces and bouquets in the Floral Department. Floral desigers will help you with your choice or create something special. Wide selection of cute and cuddly stuffed Santas and snowmen.
• From the deli, let Vons help you cater holiday parties – whether an intimate gathering or a big bash. Choose from meat, seafood and sushi trays, specialty sandwich trays and salads, as well as a wide array of appetizers, fresh fruit and veggies, cheeses and dips.

CVS PHARMACY | 11950 De Palma Road | 951-603-0855

GIFT SETS

Make CVS your one-stop-shop for stocking stuffers – from kids to adults. Aisle upon aisle of small, inexpensive items – plus candies – that Santa will find just perfect when stuffing the stockings. But wait – there’s more.

Suggestions:

• CVS carries designer fragrances for men and women. Why pay department store prices when you can buy one and get another at 50 percent off?
  

  TOYS

• Check out the cosmetic gift sets – many from which to choose.
• Wide selection of children’s toys – almost all are on sale.
• Greeting cards for all holiday occasions
• Get your flu shot – you don’t want to be ill over the holidays!

SHELL STATION | 23255 Temescal Canyon Road |  951-277-4898

Suggestions:

• Give your vehicle a holiday present! Have the oil changed and receive a free carwash.

7OAKS NURSERY | 21501 Temescal Canyon Road | 951-277-2927

GIVE A LIVING GIFT

Suggestions:

• Plants and trees make wonderful gifts that far outlive the holidays. Check out the selection of natives, drought-resistant and succulents to encourage water-friendly landscaping.

SKULL CANYON ZIPLINE | 13540 Temescal Canyon Road |  951-471-0999

ZIPLINING

Suggestions:

• Give the thrill of a lifetime — a Skull Canyon Zipline gift certificate for the adventurous types on your holiday list.

World Capital Market Inc., the company that owns Glen Ivy Golf Club — the golf course at Trilogy, has been charged by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission of operating a worldwide pyramid scheme.

In a March 28 statement, the SEC reported that the company’s assets have been frozen, a temporary receiver has been appointed and that a court hearing is scheduled April 10.

The SEC alleges, “that three entities collectively operating under the business names WCM and WCM777 are posing as multi-level marketing companies in the business of selling third-party cloud computing services, which can include website hosting, data storage, and software support. The entities are based in California and Hong Kong and controlled by “Phil” Ming Xu, who is a resident of Temple City, California.”

The SEC’s complaint, filed in federal court in Los Angeles, alleges, “WCM and WCM777 have raised more than $65 million since March 2013 by falsely promising tens of thousands of investors that the return on investment in the cloud services venture would be 100 percent or more in 100 days. Investors were told they would receive ‘points’ for making investments or enrolling other investors. The points would be convertible into equity in initial public offerings of high-tech companies their money would help launch. However, rather than building out cloud services or incubating high-tech companies, Xu and the WCM entities used investor funds to make Ponzi payments of purported investment  returns to some investors.  They also spent investor money to purchase golf courses and other U.S.-based properties among other unauthorized expenditures.” (Read the entire SEC report HERE)

World Capital Market Inc. purchased the Trilogy course last August for a reported $6.5 million.  A month later the company bought Links at Summerly, the only golf course in Lake Elsinoire, at an undisclosed price.

The charges by the SEC against World Capital Market Inc. should allay the months-long speculation that WCM was negotiating to purchase Glen Ivy Hot Springs owned by Emissaries of Divine Light, a global spiritual network. Emissaries owns the property, and the retreat and conference center, as well as the spa. The organization announced last year that it was moving its California operation to Colorado. (Read the announcement HERE)

As of today, Glen Ivy Golf Club remains open. This report will be updated as new developments occur.