"Due to complicated requests in regard to replacing the water pump permit, since May 5th the city of Coppell has stopped our water." That line comes from one of two handwritten signs that went up across the parking lot entrance at Riverchase Golf Club in early August 2026. The sign goes on to say the business is facing financial loss and has been forced to shut down.
Two months later, the course is still closed. As of this week, the online booking calendar at Riverchase Golf Club says "Due to course Conditions Golf Course is Closed until further notice," but the club's homepage still describes a public course taking online reservations. The two pages disagree, so most people driving past 700 Riverchase Drive are left to guess.
The public record supports a narrower answer than the sign does. What stands between Riverchase and a reopening is a short list of items the owner has to supply. The City of Coppell has said in writing that it won't buy the course. That puts the next move with one private owner, and it shapes what anyone living near the course can expect.
A Sale, Then a Permit Application
The current chapter began with a sale. Encore Leisure Group, the San Antonio firm that had managed Riverchase since 2014, put the course on the market in 2024. CEO Dale Folmar told the Coppell Chronicle the initial asking price was $4.5 million. In September 2025, Folmar confirmed the course had sold the month before. He couldn't share other details because of a confidentiality agreement.
The buyer is Yuki Sasada. A notice published at the time in the Daily Commercial Record, covering an application to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, listed him as manager of MYS Riverchase, LLC, doing business as Riverchase Golf Club. Sasada already owned Willows Run Golf Complex in suburban Seattle. One report put that 2019 purchase at $11.3 million, and he reportedly made improvements there after taking over. So the new owner arrived as an experienced golf operator, which made the summer that followed all the more surprising.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Encore Leisure Group lists Riverchase at an initial $4.5 million asking price |
| August 2025 | Course changes hands, according to Dallas Central Appraisal District records |
| May 4, 2026 | Commercial alteration permit application filed to replace the pump house |
| May 5, 2026 | The date the owner's sign gives for when water was "stopped" |
| Early August 2026 | Course closes and handwritten signs go up at the entrance |
| Early October 2026 | Booking page reads "Closed until further notice" |
The two May dates sit one day apart, and that gap captures the whole dispute. The permit application went in on May 4, according to city records, and the sign dates the water problem to the next day.
The Line Nobody Knew About
Replacing an old pump house sounds routine. The work got complicated because of what was found attached to the old pump.
In an email to members of the Riverchase Homeowners Association, Sasada wrote that a city water line was connected to the old pump the previous owner had managed. "We knew there was city water line was attached to old waterline when we took over," he wrote, "but we never heard or dreamed of city not knowing about it."
City spokesperson Ginene Delcioppo confirmed to the Chronicle that city officials had not known about the connection. She said the city now wants confirmation that no similar connections exist anywhere else on the property. That turns a one-for-one equipment swap into a question about the irrigation system for the whole course, and an answer covering the whole course takes an engineer.
What the City Says It Needs
Delcioppo listed two things the city is waiting on, and they differ a lot in size.
- A certificate of occupancy. Any new owner of an existing business needs one. The only remaining obstacle is the fee, which city records put at $75.
- Documentation from a professional engineer. It has to show that the irrigation system is either fully separated from the municipal water supply or protected by a backflow prevention assembly that is installed, registered and properly tested.
The city's statement explains why the second item matters and who pays for it:
"Because an unauthorized connection was previously identified on this property, the City must verify that no others exist. That responsibility and cost belong to the property owner, not City taxpayers. Conditions inherited from a previous owner remain the current owner's responsibility and are part of the due diligence process when purchasing property."
On the sign's central claim, Delcioppo said the city did not shut off the course's water. She also said the pump permit can't be issued until the documentation arrives, and "without an approved and operational pump, the course may be unable to irrigate normally." Both accounts can be read as true at once. The tap stayed on, but a course this size can't keep its turf alive without a working pump, and that matches the booking page's reason for the closure.
City Council Member Kevin Nevels backed city staff in a Facebook discussion. "I do not consider pulling a proper permit and ensuring the health and safety of our drinking water a complicated request," he wrote. Council Member Mark Hill seconded his comments. Sasada declined the Chronicle's interview request, so his plans haven't been made public. We found no public update on the permit after that August report.
Why a City Buyout Isn't on the Table
When a city's only golf course goes dark, some neighbors start hoping the city will step in. Coppell answered that question a year before the closure. In the city's FAQ responses from its 2025 Budget Town Hall, two residents asked about it. One asked whether the city planned to buy the course while it was for sale. The other asked about a plan for the course tied to taking over the flood control district once its debt is paid off. The city gave both the same answer: "The City is not interested in purchasing the golf course or taking over management of the Flood Control District."
The district in that answer is the Northwest Dallas County Flood Control District. The Texas Legislature created it in 1985 to finance, build and maintain drainage facilities. Its audit describes a boundary of about 611 acres within Coppell and Dallas County. State law gives it a three-member elected board, separate from the City Council. Reporting on the sale points to a private owner of the course itself, through MYS Riverchase, LLC.
Put together, these facts point one way. The city is acting as a regulator here and has said it won't act as a buyer. The district is a separate public body with a drainage mission. That leaves the course's owner as the one who can reopen it, and the items the city has named are the steps that lead there.
Who Feels the Closure First
The Riverchase Homeowners Association is the group closest to the course, and its members got the owner's explanation directly by email. The Chronicle report did not include a response from the HOA board.
Coppell High School's golf teams lost a practice site. The question came up in the same Facebook thread where council members weighed in. A source who attended a golf parents meeting told the Chronicle that coaches said they would "make other arrangements." The same source summed up the course's appeal: "The kids didn't like the course, but it was super convenient." Convenience is what Coppell golfers of every age lose while Riverchase is closed.
Where to Tee Off in the Meantime
Until the booking page changes, these public-access courses are the nearest options in neighboring cities:
- Grapevine Golf Course in Grapevine
- Indian Creek Golf Club in Carrollton
- Coyote Ridge Golf Club in Carrollton
- Lake Park Golf Club in Lewisville
The Riverchase tee-time page is the most reliable sign of a reopening, more than the homepage. It's the page now showing the closure notice, and it's where bookings would resume. The golf shop's listed number is (972) 462-8281. Reopening depends on the certificate-of-occupancy fee, the engineer's report on the water connections, and the pump permit that follows.
A shuttered amenity down the street raises fair questions for nearby homeowners, and the answers usually come from permits and public records, not rumors. If you live near Riverchase and want to talk through what changes nearby could mean for your home, The Hahn Team is here to help. Make Your Best Move.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
