The entrance to the Columbine Country Club in Columbine Valley, a town bordered on three sides by Littleton. (Denver Post file photo)
Columbine Country Club says it doesn’t need to share documents with a family of former members expelled for allegedly boorish behavior.
Henry Adams became a junior member of Columbine Country Club in April 2019, and his wife Kristina was given “club privileges” as his spouse.
The residential brokers at Altitude Property Group had their membership suspended in June 2021 and terminated two months later, according to the club, for alleged incidents including blasting music from a golf cart and behaving inappropriately during a massage.
The couple sued Columbine in Arapahoe County District Court in September, demanding to see documentation of the incidents.
The Adamses said in the lawsuit they had asked for a copy of written complaints that prompted their suspension and Columbine “refused to provide any meaningful explanation or documentation, instead suggesting that the decision was the result of several instances occurring over the preceding years.”
The Adamses — who own a home along the course that the county assesses at $2 million — argued that state law gives members of a nonprofit organization like Columbine the right to inspect its records, and asked the judge to order Columbine to provide them.
In a response filed last month, Columbine argued the information sought by the couple does not constitute a “record” as defined by state law. And the club claimed it was justified in expelling the family.
Columbine said in a counterclaim that staff and the club’s board president discussed the alleged misconduct with the Adamses several times before they were expelled and gave the couple a written complaint listing concerns expressed by staff and club members.
The Adamses “do not seek any information in good faith … but rather for the purpose of carrying on an ill-conceived revenge campaign against the club and its members,” the counterclaim states.
The club said in a court filing that Henry Adams “reportedly engaged in abusive and disrespectful speech and behavior of a vulgar and sexually explicit nature” toward a club massage therapist.
Columbine also highlighted an incident it says occurred in June 2021 when Kristina Adams was using the club’s pool and became dissatisfied with her food order.
“After sending her order back multiple times without satisfaction, Mrs. Adams began to publicly yell at her server, bringing the server to tears,” Columbine wrote.
The countersuit also alleges the following misconduct:
- • Henry refused to abide by the club’s COVID-19 measures, including wearing a mask indoors, and engaged in “abusive behavior” toward staff over access to fitness facilities.
- • Henry “engaged in harassment of members by consistent and unwanted solicitation of members for various personal business deals.”
- • One of the couple’s children “has had a history of bullying other children.”
- • The couple failed “to honor the reservation system by coming to the club without a dining reservation and demanding to be seated.”
- • Henry exhibited “a lack of respect for other club members in playing the sound system on his golf cart while dining.”
Columbine said the Adamses received a letter regarding their suspension in late June. The Adamses then met with the club’s board for about 45 minutes in July and “submitted 13 exhibits prior to the meeting to address the issues,” according to the club.
One of those exhibits was a 2005 article stating “it is very common for men to get an erection during a non-sexual, therapeutic, full body massage.”
Fox Rothschild attorney Chris Groen, who is representing the Adamses, said the couple dispute the allegations that are laid out by the country club, but declined to comment further.
The couple said in one court filing that other members “have engaged in conduct equivalent to that which plaintiffs are accused of, with no one having their membership terminated or even threatened.”
A Brownstein Hyatt lawyer representing Columbine said the club had no comment on the filings. The club’s president didn’t respond to a request for comment.
The entrance to the Columbine Country Club in Columbine Valley, a town bordered on three sides by Littleton. (Denver Post file photo)
Columbine Country Club says it doesn’t need to share documents with a family of former members expelled for allegedly boorish behavior.
Henry Adams became a junior member of Columbine Country Club in April 2019, and his wife Kristina was given “club privileges” as his spouse.
The residential brokers at Altitude Property Group had their membership suspended in June 2021 and terminated two months later, according to the club, for alleged incidents including blasting music from a golf cart and behaving inappropriately during a massage.
The couple sued Columbine in Arapahoe County District Court in September, demanding to see documentation of the incidents.
The Adamses said in the lawsuit they had asked for a copy of written complaints that prompted their suspension and Columbine “refused to provide any meaningful explanation or documentation, instead suggesting that the decision was the result of several instances occurring over the preceding years.”
The Adamses — who own a home along the course that the county assesses at $2 million — argued that state law gives members of a nonprofit organization like Columbine the right to inspect its records, and asked the judge to order Columbine to provide them.
In a response filed last month, Columbine argued the information sought by the couple does not constitute a “record” as defined by state law. And the club claimed it was justified in expelling the family.
Columbine said in a counterclaim that staff and the club’s board president discussed the alleged misconduct with the Adamses several times before they were expelled and gave the couple a written complaint listing concerns expressed by staff and club members.
The Adamses “do not seek any information in good faith … but rather for the purpose of carrying on an ill-conceived revenge campaign against the club and its members,” the counterclaim states.
The club said in a court filing that Henry Adams “reportedly engaged in abusive and disrespectful speech and behavior of a vulgar and sexually explicit nature” toward a club massage therapist.
Columbine also highlighted an incident it says occurred in June 2021 when Kristina Adams was using the club’s pool and became dissatisfied with her food order.
“After sending her order back multiple times without satisfaction, Mrs. Adams began to publicly yell at her server, bringing the server to tears,” Columbine wrote.
The countersuit also alleges the following misconduct:
- • Henry refused to abide by the club’s COVID-19 measures, including wearing a mask indoors, and engaged in “abusive behavior” toward staff over access to fitness facilities.
- • Henry “engaged in harassment of members by consistent and unwanted solicitation of members for various personal business deals.”
- • One of the couple’s children “has had a history of bullying other children.”
- • The couple failed “to honor the reservation system by coming to the club without a dining reservation and demanding to be seated.”
- • Henry exhibited “a lack of respect for other club members in playing the sound system on his golf cart while dining.”
Columbine said the Adamses received a letter regarding their suspension in late June. The Adamses then met with the club’s board for about 45 minutes in July and “submitted 13 exhibits prior to the meeting to address the issues,” according to the club.
One of those exhibits was a 2005 article stating “it is very common for men to get an erection during a non-sexual, therapeutic, full body massage.”
Fox Rothschild attorney Chris Groen, who is representing the Adamses, said the couple dispute the allegations that are laid out by the country club, but declined to comment further.
The couple said in one court filing that other members “have engaged in conduct equivalent to that which plaintiffs are accused of, with no one having their membership terminated or even threatened.”
A Brownstein Hyatt lawyer representing Columbine said the club had no comment on the filings. The club’s president didn’t respond to a request for comment.
