On The Clock
Joe Hardy

In addition to 84 Lumber, Hardy owns Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa, the only five-star resort in Pennsylvania. Hardy bought the former hunting lodge, located in Farmington, PA, at a bankruptcy sale in 1987 for $3.1 million and has converted the property into a lavish world-class facility.

PSR's George Von Benko recently put Joe Hardy On The Clock.

PSR: You recently secured the PGA Pennsylvania Classic for the next four years at your Mystic Rock golf course at Nemacolin Woodlands. Why did you do it?

JH: We opened Mystic Rock about six years ago and we thought it would be great to have a pro-am event there. We had a one day event and we had a good field and at that one day event there were 30,000 people in attendance. After talking to the pros they were ecstatic about Mystic Rock and said you ought to have a tour event.

The PGA was a little stuffy for awhile, but I think they're having their problems in getting title sponsors and so they were very anxious to hear from me. Everything worked very, very well and as you know the Pennsylvania Classic played in Pittsburgh and Laurel Valley and then they go to Philadelphia every other year and that was sort of a bad arrangement for building anything.

So we are going to have it our place for four years with a two year option. We're just thrilled about it because an event like that will get us in the spotlight.

PSR: Were there any hard feelings from the former Pennsylvania Classic supporters and organizers? How did Arnold Palmer react?

JH: I talked to Pete Love who is the president of Laurel Valley and kidded him along and he said no hard feelings and he said good luck. I've exchanged letters with Arnold Palmer very recently and he has no animosity at all. I'm hoping that he will participate any way that he wants to. I think they welcome it and realize the facilities that we have.

PSR: You were sponsoring John Daly on tour. Is that still in place?

JH: Oh, absolutely! Again 84 Lumber is all over the country and our customers are the builders who we focus on and they love golf. Daly had four or five engagements across the country and Daly is loaded with charisma and he's really very good for our people. We are hoping he can attract some of his buddies for the Pennsylvania Classic and give us a real good field.

PSR: You have also opened a hunting and fishing outdoor superstore at Nemacolin—how is that progressing?

JH: We opened it the second of November. I think their sales are about a million and a half the first month. It is a roaring success.

PSR: It appears that you are intent on making Nemacolin a multi-faceted destination spot.

JH: There is no question about it. I think it will truly develop into an international place.