Moving Forward
VSGA finds centralized, spacious new home in Midlothian
by ARTHUR UTLEY
VSGA ARCHIVES
T
he welcome mat is out at the
Virginia State Golf Association’s
new headquarters at 2400
Dovercourt Drive in Midlothian
although you still might run into
a workman or two.
That doesn’t matter to VSGA Executive
Director Jamie Conkling, who says, “We’d
like all members to know that the VSGA is
their association so please stop by and have a
cup of coffee, sign up for a One-Day event/
championship, purchase a VIP Card or simply
say hello.”
Conkling has discovered the spacious new
building means the coffee pot isn’t as close to
his current office as it was when the VSGA
occupied the third floor of the clubhouse at
Independence Golf Club.
Moving day was May 29 from the previous
leased office space at Independence where the
VSGA had made its home since 2002.
The days of leased space and off-site storage
are past. The VSGA owns its own building, a
one-story, 6,700-square-foot structure located
near the intersection of Salisbury Road West
and Winterfield Road in the Salisbury section
of Midlothian. Multiple moving trucks had
less than a 10-minute drive from the old space
to the new.
Natasha Triplett, the VSGA’s director of
finance and administration, says the process
that led to construction and ownership of the
building “was intense. There were so many
possibilities that we had to ponder through
and then try to make the best decision for the
w w w. v s g a . o r g
VSGA and the staff. After looking at many
properties from empty lots to buildings that
were for sale, for lease, some already built but
never occupied and some previously occupied,
I feel as though we made a very sound decision
all around. The location is great, the building
is beautiful and we have a great place for
everyone to come to work.”
Some staff members have offices, and
workspace is roomier for those who occupy
cubicles in the main room. At Independence,
offices were located on both sides of a reception
area. In the new building, there’s a spacious
multi-conference room and an open area where
staff members or VSGA board members can
gather to hold discussions or meetings.
“The best thing [about the new space] is
having more square footage,” Triplett says.
“We had outgrown the space at IGC and really
needed more room. The second best thing for
me is all of the newer more modern finishes.
Everything is bright and cheery and new!”
More storage space was imperative for
the new building. Director of Competitions
Matt Smiley says the pull-up storage area—a
warehouse door opens to the outside—“will
allow for much more timely loading and
unloading” of tournament materials.
“My favorite thing about the new space
is the on-site storage. We have spent a lot of
time going back and forth from an off-site
storage facility while trying to get ready for
tournaments,” says One-Day tournament
manager Courtney Jones. “The on-site storage
makes packing tents, tables, flagsticks, among
Visitors will notice a trophy case
as they enter the building.
other tournament necessities much easier. It’s
nice to just have everything in one place.”
Jones was part of moving day. While the
movers packed up the old space and loaded
everything on the trucks, staff members went
to the new space to work on materials needed
for upcoming tournaments.
“Once the movers arrived with all of the
crates, everyone worked on starting to unpack
as much as we could without getting in their
way,” said Jones, who was the staff person
in charge for the men’s Senior Stroke Play
tournament the week after the move.
When she got back from the tournament in
Winchester, “Most everyone was still trying to
get their space set up the way they wanted, and
there was still construction happening around
us. I think now, everyone has started to settle
in and get used to being in the new office.”
Conkling says settling into the new office has
given him time to reflect on “all the positives
that such a decision has and will have on the
association as it moves forward. Relocating
offers the VSGA more options, more space,
more storage and more independence.”
A longtime sportswriter for the Richmond
Times-Dispatch, author Arthur Utley is a
regular contributor to Virginia Golfer.
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