Members of closed Club at Black Rock sue bank

Members of a Coeur d’Alene luxury golf club that closed in 2010 are suing a bank in hopes of recovering their membership deposits.

A trial in the case is set for Oct. 2 in federal court, the Coeur d’Alene Press reported.

In the class-action lawsuit, the former members of the Club at Black Rock are asking Washington Trust Bank to pay them about $29 million, plus another $15 million in interest and other damages.

According to the lawsuit, the members each bought property surrounding the golf course overlooking Lake Coeur d’Alene and paid club membership deposits that ranged from tens of thousands of dollars to $125,000.

But when the Club at Black Rock fell into financial distress, Washington Trust Bank purchased the club and later sold it to a small group of investors.

The investors renamed it The Golf Club at Black Rock and collected new membership deposits.