Developer Sues Designer Over Pea Ridge Golf Course Delay

The developer of a Pea Ridge golf course has sued its designer charging the costs of the project escalated because he didn’t keep a close eye on construction.

Sugar Creek LLC, which does business as the 18-hole Big Sugar Golf Club, said it had hired Legacy Links Inc. in 2000 to build a course.

The agreement between Big Sugar and Legacy was a cost plus contract with a maximum price tag of $2.8 million.

Then Big Sugar hired the designer Jerry N. Slack & Associates Inc. of Broken Arrow, Okla. Slack’s job was to design the course and monitor the construction, which started in 2000.

The project was supposed to be completed by August 2001. Over the months, Slack & Associates had reported to Big Sugar that construction was moving along fine, Big Sugar said in its lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Fayetteville. But it wasn’t, Big Sugar said.

At the end of July 2001, Slack & Associates said the project was behind schedule and over budget.

Big Sugar said it should have heard about the bad news earlier and has sued Slack & Associates for negligence and breach of contract. It is seeking an unspecified amount of damages.

Big Sugar eventually paid $2 million more than the contract price for the course.

Slack & Associates couldn’t be reached for comment.