"When the market goes south, you can't support a golf course that costs who knows what - maybe $1.5 million to $2 million a year - to water and seed"

Regarding the status of Escena, the new Nicklaus course in Palm Springs, this Desert Sun story suggests that the shutdown is all Lennar's doing and a result of the sub-prime meltdown.

During an inspection of sprinklers by The Desert Sun on Tuesday, the fairways, roughs, tees and greens appeared not to be watered. Only the outlying landscaping appeared to have drip irrigation.

"When the market goes south, you can't support a golf course that costs who knows what - maybe $1.5 million to $2 million a year - to water and seed," said McCulloch, an avid golfer.

Marshall Ames, a vice president in investor relations with Lennar, said Tuesday his company is "very challenged to answer questions about individual communities."

I was in the desert Monday and drove around. I've never seen a nearly complete development essentially abandoned, so I pulled out my video camera...