Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Private Club License Applied For In Bodcaw Area

A license has been applied for through the Alcohol Beverage Commission for a private club in the Bodcaw area.

However, should the license be granted, the club will not be for just anyone.

Dr. Neil Carmony, a Texarkana dentist, owns a lodge near Bodcaw, where he grew up. In fact, Dr. Carmony graduated from Bodcaw High School in the 1970s.

The lodge, formerly the family home, is used as an executive retreat for out of town guests, along with some local residents, by invitation. The lodge, though, isn't open to all who want to come by.

Carmony said there is a chef on site who prepares gourmet meals for the guests who are invited. These people enjoy having a glass of wine with their meals, and currently have to bring their own.

"This is an upscale crowd," Carmony said. "We have to have a license to serve alcohol on the premises."

The Carmony family is well-established in the area. His grandparents were some of the pioneer founders of Bodcaw, and his grandfather donated land where White Chapel Church is.

Carmony isn't heavily involved in obtaining the liquor license. This is being handled by Dennis Brantly, operations manager of the lodge.

Nevada County Sheriff Steve Otwell said there is opposition to having a private club in the area from Bodcaw residents.

He showed a representative from the ABC where the lodge is, with the representative doing some on-site notifications.

According to Otwell, there will be no advertising of alcoholic beverages at the lodge, should the license be granted.

If the ABC denies the permit initially, Otwell said, Brantley and Carmony can file and appeal and get a public hearing.

In this event, those who oppose the club would be notified and would have the option of going to Little Rock and appearing before the ABC commissioners.

Should the permit be denied a second time, they could get a court hearing.

"We don't want to bring anything negative to Bodcaw or Nevada County," Carmony said. "I take great pride in being from there."

Carmony brings his wife and five children to the lodge on occasion as a way to get away for a while.

The idea behind turning the lodge into a private club, he said, is to allow his guests to get away from the hustle and bustle of their work so they can relax.