"It's not a bad place to be," said Karen. The team camped out at the golf course over the 4th of July weekend. Son Tony is a high school baseball coach and brings the team to South Lake Tahoe to play during the summer. The family truly does enjoy family time, no matter how many are in town. They also hire local teens to help out in the summer since the course is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. At any time you'll be sure to find one of them working the front counter at Magic Carpet. ![]() ![]() Karen and Gino have four children, Tony, Nicki, Karey and Gina. Though none of them live in South Lake Tahoe year round, they all come to town for the summer along with their own children to help run the family business. Their children, all now adults, have grown up at Magic Carpet. Karen and her husband Gino Franceschi live most of the year above the Magic Carpet Golf on the corner of Lodi and 50, then head off the hill from time to time to their other home in Forestville, CA. Cal Trans bought the Russian River course in 1994 due to a freeway planned for the property. In 1974 they added a Reno location for daughter Jeanne, who, you guessed it, still runs the place.ĭaughter Karen operated the Russian River property until 1992 when she switched locations with Peggy and moved to South Lake Tahoe. Daughter Peggy was given this course to run. In 1970, Bill and Mary bought property at Carnelian Bay and build the first Lake Tahoe area Magic Carpet Golf. In 1948 he built a popular course along the Russian River where he raised his family, one that daughter Karen has very fond memories of. ![]() Family members ran all of those except for the ones in Konoti and Bakersfield. He had built 13 miniature golf courses with uncles and brothers in the California cities of Alameda, Lake Berryessa, Bakersfield (an indoor course), Pinole and Konocti Harbor, then in Key West, Biloxi and Galveston. Had they not done that, we may have lost everything."Ĭharlie Spillar had four of those statues moved to Valley of the Moon, a special place for kids to play and learn.Bill was no stranger to the business. They couldn't save everything, but they saved a lot of them. "He found businesses that would take some of these statues, he found private collections and private residences to put in their backyard. "They got it done one by one," said Villarreal. He also wrote about Farley and Spillar's efforts to find the statues new homes. He covered the closing of the iconic spot and dismantling for the Arizona Daily Star. Villarreal grew up playing at Magic Carpet Golf. "It was like a part of the fabric of growing up in Tucson," said Phil Villarreal, Senior Real Time Editor at KGUN9. "We could have people have a lot of fun, say goodbye to the golf course and raise money to them at the same time," Farley recalled. ![]() They organized a One Last Round event at Magic Carpet Golf. "This was a place where I had an opportunity to say no, not this one."įarley and Valley of the Moon volunteer Charlie Spillar teamed up to try and save the statues. "Tucson, too often we tear down those things that are precious to so many people who grew up here." said Farley. Steve Farley knew he had to save as many of the iconic statues, that graced each hole at Magic Carpet Golf, as possible. "My first thought when we heard they were closing is what are they going to do with everything," remembered local business owner Sam O'Shaughnessy. It would be demolished for a car dealership parking lot. In 2008, after 40 years in business, Magic Carpet Golf closed. "One of their favorite places in the world to be," Farley said while standing in front of the Tiki Head statue. He would take his daughters to play mini golf at the one-time east side staple Magic Carpet Golf.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |