IVINS, Utah (KUTV) — Black Desert Resort is expanding the golf scene in Southern Utah with more courses and amenities, and says it’s addressing community needs to grow responsibly.

This week was the PGA Tour Bank of Utah Tournament, which is a key indicator of the resort’s success in drawing major golfers and crowds to Southern Utah. After just two years of opening, Black Desert Resort is making top national lists for golfing. Now they’re continuing the momentum, adding at least three new 18-hole courses and a short par-3 course.

“Black Desert Resort is putting the area on the map,” said Dani Stern, president of hospitality operations, Black Desert Resort.

An Ivins resident added, “I think that what they’ve done over there is beautiful. It’s just world class. I like the idea that people are going to come and enjoy this place.”

The resort is not just ending at courses with their experience. They’re planning to open a water park and over 100 homes in the next year, and a boardwalk of shops and restaurants in the future.

“Adding the amenities will allow us to make sure that we’re giving everybody what they want,” Stern said.

The Ivins resident added, “Everything is high quality, well thought out, well done. Black Desert, my biggest concern is water.”

Because the courses will be built on the Shivwits Band of Paiutes’ land in an agreement, the band is offering their reuse water rights to the resort.

MORE: Black Desert Resort in talks with Shivwits Band of Paiutes to add golf courses to area

In a joint statement between the water district and band, they added that the district does not anticipate a request for more water for the development.

“The Band’s existing reuse water rights, established under the 2001 settlement agreement, are sufficient for the project as planned,” the statement said. “The proposed project will not exceed 2,000 acre-feet of the Band’s dedicated reuse water rights.”

Black Desert Resort believes the new amenities will boost the local economy, provide jobs, and allow community gathering opportunities.

“Everything we do is intentional,” Stern said. “We think about our impact on the community. We think about our impact on the environment. There is no decision that I’m going to make or the team’s going to make or the owners are going to make where we don’t have thoughts about being good corporate citizens and giving back in the right way. It’s a critical, it’s a critical item that we have to look at in all the decisions we’re making, whether they’re big or small.”

One resident just hopes the resort, water district, and state consider the needs of all in the area as they continue to expand, and keep congestion, noise, and natural resource use to a minimum.

“My hope is that they figure out a way to do what they want to do and still allow for everyone to have all the water that they could possibly have,” said the resident.

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