Timeline of Events
2012
The City of Alameda Council selects Greenway Golf Associates as the new lessee, builder and operator of Chuck Corica Golf Complex.
August 1, 2012 - Greenway enters into a 20-year lease with an option to extend for a further five years.
After entering into the 2012 Lease, Greenway embarks upon a capital improvement program to redo the Driving Range, the 9-hole Mif Albright Course, and the 18-hole South Course.
City issues zero Notices of Violation, City makes no Audit Requests. City makes no Construction Schedule Requests.
2013
Greenway starts work on permits and course design.
City issues zero Notices of Violation, City makes no Audit Requests. City makes no Construction Schedule Requests.
2014
Greenway starts working on driving range and Mif course.
City issues zero Notices of Violation, City makes no Audit Requests. City makes no Construction Schedule Requests.
2015
Greenway starts working on the South Course three years after the agreements were signed.
City issues zero Notices of Violation, City makes no Audit Requests. City makes no Construction Schedule Requests.
2016
Greenway starts running well behind schedule on South Course work.
City issues zero Notices of Violation, City makes no Audit Requests. City makes no Construction Schedule Requests.
2017
October 2017 - Greenway introduces the “Founders Club,” offering full facility use and advance booking privileges to Club members and their families for five years for an upfront membership fee of $15k.
City issues zero Notices of Violation, City makes no Audit Requests. City makes no Construction Schedule Requests.
2018
Greenway sells 39 Founders Memberships and raises $585,000 to fund South Course construction.
March 2018 - While South Course is still underway, Greenway Golf owners and City execute a First Amendment to Greenway Lease to substantially renovate the North Course. Greenway lease is extended to 40 years with an option to extend an additional 10 years.
June 18, 2018 - Six years after the original agreement was signed. City officials join the opening day celebrations of the South Course with Greenway owners. The course is opened without completed cart paths.
City issues zero Notices of Violation, City makes no Audit Requests. City makes no Construction Schedule Requests.
2019
Greenway begins work on the North Course.
December 2, 2019 - Umesh and Avani Patel acquire a minority stake representing 46.66% of the outstanding GGA shares equally from George Kelley and Ken Campbell. Marc Logan retains his 33.3% stake and George and Ken each retain 10%. Umesh becomes Greenway President, CEO and Chairman of the Board.
City issues zero Notices of Violation, City makes no Audit Requests. City makes no Construction Schedule Requests.
2020
Corica Park is indefinitely closed on March 17th, 2020 by order of the Alameda County Health Department because of the Covid 19 Pandemic.
April 2020 - Amidst significant Covid-related financial uncertainty-George and Ken decide to sell the remainder of their shares. Umesh and Avani agree to purchase those shares.
April 2020 - The Patels request Consent for majority ownership from the City of Alameda as is required in the Greenway Lease. They are given permission by City Attorney Michael Roush to proceed with the transaction and become majority owners of Greenway.
May 2020 -The Patels finalize purchase of additional shares from George and Ken, raising their total ownership stake to 66.6%. They become majority owners of Greenway. Marc Logan chooses to maintain his stake at 33.3%.
July 2020 - City staff prepare an amendment to the Dialemi Concession Agreement to unilaterally relieve Dialemi/Jim’s On The Course of its obligation to build an event center at Corica Park – a feature crucial to the future success of the Golf Complex and an obligation of Jim’s from 2017 in exchange for a long term lease on the restaurant at Corica Park.
August 2020 - After months of attempting to arrange a meeting to discuss the event center status with City Manager Eric Levitt and City Parks Director Amy Wooldridge, Umesh Patel and Greenway Attorney Gregory R. Aker write two letters to the City of Alameda Council requesting settlement talks regarding the event center.
City of Alameda, Jim’s and Greenway enter into tri-party settlement talks to find a resolution to the event center dispute.
City issues zero Notices of Violation. City makes no Audit Requests. City makes no Construction Schedule Requests.
2021
January 2021 - Greenway writes to City in January 2021 requesting the Fire Tower area be incorporated into the golf course leased premises so that Greenway, at its own expense, can make landscaping and beautification improvements for the mutual benefit of the City and Greenway.
June 2021 - Council unanimously approves Second Amendment to Greenway Lease, incorporating the Fire Tower space into the Golf Course parcel.
July 2021 - Council unanimously approves Third Amendment to Greenway Lease providing Greenway with rights to sell Food and Beverage at the golf course, relieving Dialemi/Jim’s On The Course from lease obligation to provide an event center for the facility.
August 2021 - After a collaborative first half of 2021 with Greenway, City officials largely cease communication with the Patels and Greenway. The City readies itself to send a series of written notices of violations and begins a pattern of harassment to drive out the Patels.
August 2021 - City’s abrupt change in behavior lines up precisely with the onset of the dispute between Marc Logan and Umesh Patel, which ultimately led to Mr. Logan filing a lawsuit against Greenway and Umesh.
October 14, 2021 - The front nine holes of the North Course officially opens for play.
October 2021 - As evidence of the Patels’ leadership, within eighteen months of acquiring their majority ownership stake, and amidst the pandemic, Greenway completes the front nine holes of the North Course, and substantially upgrades the clubhouse restrooms, meeting spaces, and staff amenities.
October 18, 2021 - And so it begins…. The City of Alameda sends Notice of Violation to Greenway Golf without any prior discussion stating a false claim of a lack of a qualified General Manager and a failure to maintain certain trees. City states a failure to cure within 30 days will constitute a default on the lease.
December 14, 2021 Greenway sends a response to the Notice of Violation sent by the City of Alameda. Umesh responds to both of the violations listed in the violation notice sent by the City of Alameda on October 18, 2021.
2022
January 20, 2022 - The City of Alameda sends Notice of Violation to Greenway Golf without any prior discussion, stating failure to provide monthly financial statements (never previously requested in Greenway’s 10-year history), failure to submit Fire Tower Design by year end 2021 (after informally agreeing to grant an extension 5 weeks prior), failure to provide discounted rates to residents and juniors (the latter of which is false) and overgrown vegetation in sloughs (also false). City states a failure to cure within 30 days will constitute a default on the lease. The lack of qualifications of the GM and failure to maintain certain trees is now cited as the reasons that Greenway is already in actual default of the Lease.
February 14, 2022 - Greenway sends a response to the Notice of Violation sent by the City of Alameda. Umesh Patel responds to each of the violations listed in the violation notice sent by the City of Alameda on January 20, 2022. All violation items are rectified and all (never before requested in the ten year history of the lease) required monthly and annual financial statements are enclosed.
February 16, 2022 - In response to Greenway providing the financial statements on February 14th, an email from Amy Wooldrige requests “updated annual financial statements that include both revenue and expense in accordance with GAAP.”
February 18, 2022 - Email response from Umesh Patel states “The annual financial statements sent to you were prepared in accordance with GAAP and stated all gross revenue at Corica Park as per the lease terms in Section 5.7 of the Lease.” The City is entitled to Gross Revenues at Corica Park so it can verify any percentage rent payable. The reporting of any expenses is not required by the Lease and no such information has been requested or ever provided in the ten year history of the Lease. Essentially the City is requesting Greenway’s full books and financial records without officially asking for an audit and without having any right or reason to do so.
March 2, 2022 - Marc Logan files a lawsuit against Greenway and Umesh Patel. Greenway temporarily halts construction on the North Course to address the Logan lawsuit.
March 21, 2022 - The City of Alameda sends Notice of Violation to Greenway Golf without any prior discussion, demanding a never before requested North Course Construction Schedule, demanding Greenway “immediately provide the City with a belated written request for consent for the transfer of the majority interest in GGA voting stock” and a demand to do an audit where “City’s representatives will be inspecting GGA’s books and records to determine ownership of GGA as well as GGA’s compliance with the Lease.”
March 24, 2022 - Greenway sends a response to the Notice of Violation sent by the City of Alameda. Greenway attorney Gerald J. Ramiza responds to each of the issues raised in the violation notice sent by the City of Alameda on March 21, 2022. Full documentary evidence regarding consent is enclosed with the Letter.
April 4, 2022 - City of Alameda responds and denies North Course construction extension request, City states concern that Greenway lacks solvency necessary to complete the North Course without any supporting evidence and demands audit of Greenway books. City states disagreement with Greenway’s position on 2020 Stock transfer and reserves its right to pursue the matter further.
April 12, 2022 - Greenway Attorney Gregory R. Aker responds to City of Alameda violation notice sent on April 4, 2022 addressing each of the stated violations in detail and the action steps in regards to them.
April 19, 2022 - Umesh Patel sends a letter to City Council “to correct the record, clear the air, and above all, attempt to reset, reaffirm, and strengthen the collaborative working partnership between Greenway and the City of Alameda.” Greenway provides full details of all attempts to meet City officials, details of the correcting of all violations in the official notices and the proof of consent received.
May 3, 2022 - Council goes into closed session to discuss potential litigation against Greenway and votes unanimously to file a lawsuit. Multiple Greenway supporters send letters ahead of closed session to Council to no avail. The only two letters in opposition to Greenway are from a former and a current golf commissioner.
May 6, 2022 - Greenway and Umesh Patel file answers and file cross complaints to the Logan lawsuit.
May 31, 2022 - The City files a lawsuit against Greenway without any apparent legal basis, citing pause in North Course construction and audit demand, despite absence of supporting basis in Greenway’s lease. Many of City’s speculative allegations are nothing more than hearsay, based upon unproven allegations contained in Logan lawsuit, of which City has no personal knowledge. Greenway pauses North Course Construction indefinitely, having now to defend the City’s groundless complaint.
June 21, 2022 - In response to Greenway’s Public Records Act request, City produces a batch of troubling documents including one written by someone describing themselves as a “concerned Alameda resident” according to City Attorney Elizabeth MacKenzie. This document, dated April 14, describes in detail a roadmap to force Greenway and/or the Patels out of Corica Park and suggests seizing the premises and removing them in the interest of public safety if other measures do not work. The City shockingly followed and implemented many of the document’s recommendations as prescribed by its anonymous author through the numerous Notices of Violations it sent to Greenway. This document and Greenway’s rebuttal are well worth a read for a summary of the coordinated efforts to remove the Patels.
September 13, 2022 - Umesh sends an email to Golf Commissioners informing them that he will not be attending that day’s Golf Commission meeting, given the active litigation between City and Greenway. Amy Wooldridge responds to Umesh Patel by email notifying him that if Greenway refuses to send a representative to the meeting that evening then "they will consider this to be a breach of the Lease."
September 14, 2022 - Umesh sends a letter to Margaret O’Brien, City Finance Director, that in the spirit of compromise, Greenway will allow a full and unrestricted audit of Greenway books by an outside audit firm that is mutually agreed upon by City and Greenway. The audit will be at Corica Park offices and all costs will be borne by the City.
September 14, 2022 - Greenway President, Umesh sends a letter to Amy Wooldridge, City Recreation & Parks Director, that in the spirit of compromise, Greenway is providing a North Course Construction Schedule.
September 16, 2022 - The City of Alameda sends Notice of Violation to Greenway Golf for failure to send a Greenway representative to the September 13, 2022 City of Alameda Golf Commission meeting.
September 21, 2022 - Greenway Golf issues a Press Release regarding its Countersuit against the City of Alameda.
September 26, 2022 - Having verbally agreed to Greenway’s scope for the audit, City Finance Director Margaret O’Brien sends a letter to Greenway Golf changing the terms of the previously agreed scope and stating the “City is extremely troubled by Greenway’s refusal to permit City finance staff unfettered access to Greenway financial documents while under the supervision of Greenway staff”. City stands by its right for complete and unfettered access to Greenway Golf’s financial records, without reason or right, making it unclear if a third party audit will satisfy their baseless demands or whether a campaign of harassment for financial records will continue even once an audit is complete. This letter shows the City’s request for an audit is simply a prelude to some other as yet undisclosed agenda, otherwise an external audit by a mutually agreed reputable firm would have been deemed more than sufficient to allay any financial concerns the City may have.
To date, Greenway has received no response from City Recreation & Parks Director Amy Woolridge approving or rejecting the construction schedule for the North Course submitted on September 14th.
October 8, 2022 - standwithcoricapark.org launches to share the facts about the efforts of the Patels to resolve their differences with the City, shine a spotlight on the prejudicial treatment they are receiving in return and to invite the community to stand for the many benefits Greenway is bringing to the entire community.
Email: [email protected]