[ ABOVE: Image courtesy of Bill Fitzpatrick ]
Black Knight International, the umbrella corporation for golf legend Gary Player’s organization, will no longer be moving its corporate headquarters to Greenville and has dropped plans to purchase the former Fountain Fox Beattie House on Bennett Street in Greenville.
The group had been in negotiations with the city for more than a year to convert the circa-1834 house into an office for its business and to convert some of the existing parking space into a garden on the 2.3-acre property. After “an extensive due diligence undertaking, the company has decided not to proceed with closing on the proposed purchase and restoration of the historic Fountain Fox Beattie House,” the company said in a statement.
“We are disappointed not to continue with this project, but business conditions have changed significantly over the last few years and our headquarters will be moving from Greenville to London,” said Marc Player, CEO, Black Knight International in a statement. “Therefore, the need for this type of facility, unfortunately, no longer exists. Although this is disappointing, we want to thank the City of Greenville for their full support during the process.” Gary Player Design, the company’s golf course design business, will keep its downtown Greenville office.
The former tenants of the home, the Greenville Woman’s Club, disbanded in 2014 after 66 years and turned the historic home back over to the City of Greenville Parks and Recreation Department. City officials said they will look for a new buyer for the property.
