Ti Country Club back in business
May 31—TICONDEROGA — The Ticonderoga Country Club and its restaurant have risen from the ashes of a devastating fire three years ago.
The clubhouse and restaurant at 609 Route 9N (Hague Road) were leveled by an accidental fire on Saturday, May 26, 2018 and it's taken until now to work with the insurance company and rebuild the property.
The new Seymour's Restaurant and Tap Room opened on Saturday, May 28 at the club. The previous restaurant there, Emerald's, was privately owned and moved to a new location soon after the fire.
Seymour's Restaurant is named after Ticonderoga golf course architect Seymour Dunn. Originally from Scotland and later settling in Lake Placid, Dunn was a designer of a number of European and North American clubs and also served as a golf professional at Royal County Down Golf Club in Newcastle, Northern Ireland.
The new clubhouse was designed by Saratoga's Phinney Design Group and built by Bonacio Construction. Seymour's Restaurant is on the upper level of the clubhouse, and the Tap Room on the lower level.
Spruce Hospitality Group, which also operates the Queensbury Hotel and Fenimore's Pub in Glens Falls, is managing the new facility.
Ticonderoga Golf Corporation Board President Robert Berrick said Seymour's Restaurant and Tap Room will be open for lunch and dinner.
"We are delighted to honor Ticonderoga Golf Course's architect," said Berrick in a news release. "Seymour Dunn is one of golf's true greats, and we are proud that his history runs through Ticonderoga. The launch of Seymour's and The Tap Room at the new clubhouse is a huge step forward for Ticonderoga Golf Course and the local region."
Benn Hart, formerly of Glens Falls Country Club, has been brought in to run the food and beverage operations of the two dining outlets, as well as manage catering and events.
"The Tap Room will be bustling from morning till night with outdoor seating on the patio and casual dining in the bar area," he said in the release. "Seymour's will be our more refined dining space, perfect for a date night or special event you might be celebrating."
Executive Chef Derek Leinonen, of Seymour's and The Tap Room, has a resume that most recently includes the Lake Placid Lodge and The Sagamore Resort in Bolton Landing.
"I am excited to get into an amazing kitchen and cook exceptional food for our guests," Leinonen said. "We will focus on farm to table cuisine that highlights fresh ingredients from the Adirondacks. We've already partnered with local producers, such as Donahue's Farms, Meier's Artisan Cheese, Argyle Cheese Farmer, and we hope to expand that even further."
More information about the restaurant is at: ticonderogagolfcourse.com/restaurant-and-bar.
Four workers at Emerald's, where the 10 p.m. fire began, were hospitalized for burns and smoke inhalation. It took 17 fire companies to battle the blaze, believed to have started when a propane tank in the restaurant exploded.
A wedding reception was underway in the clubhouse at the time of the fire. The golf course reopened soon after the fire, but it's taken until now to rebuild the clubhouse and restaurant.
