Five years later, a little piece of the U.S. Open endures at Chambers Bay
What was once a magnificent sculpture that sat in the middle of the fan village during the 2015 U.S. Open is now stored away in the back corner of the department of agronomy at Chambers Bay Golf Course.
It has been almost five years since Chambers Bay hosted the U.S. Open. Five years since grandstands, camera towers and the U.S. Open Village, filled with gift shops and fan attractions, graced the 950-acre golf course.
But Chambers Bay is still in possession of the sculpture that could be used as a memory for the largest sporting event held in the South Sound. Based on the Chambers Bay 2015 U.S. Open logo, it is in the shape of two boat sails on top of a cylindrical base that reads “2015 U.S. Open Championship.” The sculpture is around 12 feet tall and 6 feet wide.
The United States Golf Association specifically designed it for the major. It was designed and fully paid for by the USGA and was given to Pierce County to display.
The USGA only intended the sculpture to be used for the U.S Open at Chambers Bay. They did not expect it to last more than a year.
So, when the USGA asked Chambers Bay officials what they wanted to do with it, Chambers Bay officials said they would keep it, since otherwise, it would have been destroyed.
According to Jeff Alstadter, the Director of Open Championships Public Relations, it is not unusual for the USGA to commission a statue or another item for display that the championship site will keep.
The material it is made from, a wood-like foam material, according to Eric Johnson, the director of agronomy at Chambers Bay, made it a temporary display, not a permanent one.
“We didn’t necessarily have an idea at the time what to do with it,” said Zac Keener, the general manager of Chambers Bay, “We didn’t even think it would last to the fall.”
Unless significant improvements were made to the sculpture, the USGA believed it would not be ideal for it to be displayed to the public. So, Keener and his staff decided to store the sculpture in the agronomy department, where it has been in storage for the last five years.
“We weren’t entirely sure if spending time to figure out where it was going to go would even lead to something useful for the public,” said Keener.
Most of what was built for the U.S. Open is now removed from Chambers Bay, but there is still memorabilia left in place to remember the 2015 event. The clubhouse, which resides at the top of Chambers Bay, is filled with many framed items commemorating the U.S. Open.
Even though the sculpture has signs of wear and tear, its structure has continued to hold.
Keener says that there still needs to be significant repair if it ever is put out for the public again.
“Obviously, if we’re going to build something or put it in some space that’s going to be available for the public, we would want to also make sure that we’re making an investment for the long term.”
Keener says there hasn’t been too much discussion about what to do with the sculpture because the cost of repair and display ultimately outweighed any further decisions.
There also has been hesitation due to the potential resort development. Keener believes that if he decided to go forth and find a space for it, there might not even be a plausible spot that the sculpture could fit into.
Pierce County approved the Chambers Creek resort lease in May of 2019. When built, the resort will include over 100 hotel units, a new clubhouse and pro shop, and a spa. However, according to Pierce County, the development team has yet to receive sufficient funding to move forward.
Keener said, “Once the resort development kicks off, hey, might be a fun discussion to have with developers if they’d like [the sculpture], you know, as part of their new project.”
As for now, Keener says that he is not sure what will happen to the sculpture.
“If we’re going to put it out for the public to see and be able to take pictures with it and whatnot. We’re going to want to make sure it’s safe, and I don’t believe in its current state, it is safe for people.”