Popular sports bar closed for good

By: BRIAN ECKHOUSE - Staff Writer | Thursday, May 3, 2007 11:15 PM PDT ∞

MENIFEE -- Commuters inching along Interstate 215 north of Scott Road may have noticed the chain-link fence bounding the Antelope Road property line of Bogey's Bar and Grill and a neighboring driving range.

The clubhouse that was once home to Bogey's and an accompanying pro shop remain, and the yard markers on the now unused driving range have gone untouched, perhaps giving hope to some residents who miss a brew after honing their golf stroke. Bogey's and the driving range closed in late February.

Two identical signs on the southern end of the property reveal the lot's future: a 327-condominium complex of townhouses called Christensen Ranch.

Later this month, county firefighters will use the clubhouse on Craig Avenue and Antelope Road to practice knocking down blazes, a spokesman for developer Brenson Communities of San Diego said. A representative of the Riverside County Fire Department said he had heard about controlled blazes there, but couldn't confirm the dates.

The bar and driving range were especially popular among longtime Menifee residents and those younger than 40, said John Denver, a former Perris Union High School District trustee and one of the more active proponents of Menifee Valley's incorporation.

"There was a big following," he said. "People in this community should think about opening a middle-range bar (as a replacement)."

Kevin McCaughey, who owned Bogey's, hopes to do that. He closed his bar because the lease expired, he said.

"We were the only ones in town," McCaughey said. "We had our own little 'Cheers.' The same 15 to 20 patrons came in each day. When you're successful, it's tough to close."

The county Board of Supervisors approved the 30.5-acre Christensen Ranch project in early November, despite some resistance from residents who preferred that the zoning not be changed from business park to high-density housing.

Those residents contended a change in zoning could hurt the valley's chances of incorporating, as the valley presumably would be sacrificing future sales tax dollars.

Another camp of residents were active supporters of the project. The supporters said the development would usher in cheaper housing alternatives, starting in the mid-$200,000 range; add less traffic to Antelope and Scott than that of a business park; and provide a smoother transition from large, two-story homes to the commercial developments at the busy intersection of Antelope and Scott.

The supervisors also were moved by the contention of county planners who said a business park would yield little sales tax revenue for the valley.

Christensen Ranch was named for a wheat farm that once stood on the site, Brenson spokesman Adam Eventov said.

-- Contact staff writer Brian Eckhouse at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2626, or beckhouse@californian.com.