University Country Club, Inc. v. Commissioner

64 T.C. 460, 1975 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 124
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedJune 23, 1975
DocketDocket No. 3890-72
StatusPublished
Cited by43 cases

This text of 64 T.C. 460 (University Country Club, Inc. v. Commissioner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
University Country Club, Inc. v. Commissioner, 64 T.C. 460, 1975 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 124 (tax 1975).

Opinion

Goffe, Judge:

The Commissioner determined deficiencies in petitioner’s corporate Federal income tax for the taxable years as follows:

Year Amount
1966_ $52,793.48
1968_ 2,307.33
1970_ 1,913.48

The issues presented for decision are: (1) Whether payments to petitioner from a separate class of shareholders, who were also members of its club, should be characterized as income or contributions to capital; (2) whether initiation fees paid by non-shareholder members were income or contributions to capital; (3) if the above payments are income, whether petitioner has, as a consequence, omitted more than 25 percent of gross income from its income tax return for 1966, extending the statutory period for assessment as provided in section 6501(e)(1)(A);1 (4) if there has been more than a 2 5-percent omission from gross income, whether petitioner has precluded the application of section 6501(e)(1)(A) by making a statement in its 1966 income tax return which was adequate to apprise respondent of the nature and the amount of the omitted item; and (5) whether petitioner’s golf course, grass, and driving range are depreciable.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Some of the facts have been stipulated. The stipulation of facts and exhibits are incorporated by this reference.

The University Country Club, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as petitioner or club), is a corporation organized for profit under the laws of Florida. Its principal office and club facilities are located in Jacksonville, Fla. The articles of incorporation set forth its general business purpose to be the construction, ownership, and operation of golf courses, swimming pools, other recreational facilities, a clubhouse, restaurant, and locker rooms.

Petitioner filed its corporate Federal income tax return for the taxable year 1966 with the District Director of Internal Revenue, Jacksonville, Fla., on May 19, 1967, pursuant to an automatic extension. Petitioner filed its returns for the taxable years 1968 and 1970 with the Southeast Service Center, Chamblee, Ga. Respondent’s statutory notice of deficiency was mailed to petitioner on March 1,1972.

The articles of incorporation of the club, approved by and filed with the secretary of state of Florida November 10, 1965, authorized 100 shares of no-par class A stock and 500 shares of $1 par value class B stock. The rights specifically accorded the owners of class A and class B stock in the articles of incorporation are as follows:

ARTICLE III
[Class A.]
There shall be two classes of stock; Class A Stock, which shall be voting stock, and shall be of no par value and may be issued in fractions of a share. Class A stock shall he fully paid and non-assessable and may be issued wholly or in part for cash, services, labor or for the purchase of property or contracts at a just valuation to be fixed by the Board of Directors. The holders of Class A stock shall at all times elect eighty per cent (80%) of the Board of Directors of this corporation. The maximum number of shares of Class A stock that the corporation is authorized to have outstanding at any time is one hundred (100) shares. In the event of liquidation, either voluntary or involuntary, of this corporation, one (1) share of Class A stock shall be equal to five (5) shares of Class B stock.
[Class B.]
Class B stock shall be of the par value of One Dollar ($1.00) per share and shall be fully paid and non-assessable. The holders of Class B stock shall at all times elect twenty per cent (20%) of the Board of Directors of this corporation. Class B stock shall not be transferable except upon the approval of the majority of the holders of Class A stock. Class B stock shall have no pre-emptive rights and the corporation may issue and sell stock of either class from time to time without offering such shares to the stockholders then holding shares of Class B stock. In the event of liquidation, either voluntary or involuntary, of this corporation, five (5) shares of Class B stock shall be equal to one (1) share of Class A stock. The maximum nuber [number] of shares of Class B stock that the corporation is authorized to have outstanding at any time is 500 shares.

The class B stock certificate states on its face that “Class B stock shall not be transferable except upon the approval of the majority of the holders of Class A stock.” There are no restrictions as to the transferability of class A stock.

The membership of the club was, and continues to be, composed of four classes: general founder member (founder), general, golf, and pool. The rights, duties, privileges, and obligations of each member class as set forth in the club rules, the minutes of the board of directors meeting for November 11, 1965, and a membership brochure were as follows:

CLUB RULES
A. MEMBERSHIP.
[[Image here]]
GENERAL FOUNDERS MEMBERSHIP. [Founders] A member holding one or more shares of class B stock. This membership entitles unlimited use by member, wife and all unmarried family members under 25 years of age, of golf course, pool, and club facilities. This type of membership is limited to 400 members. Membership is subject to annual renewal fee and monthly dues.
GOLF MEMBERSHIP. Initiation Fee, and annual renewal fee. Monthly dues plus federal and state taxes. Initiation fee non-refundable, non-transferable. Unlimited use of golf course by member and wife, all unmarried family members under 25 years of age.
POOL MEMBERSHIP. Initiation fee, and annual renewal. No monthly billing. Annual fee entitles member unlimited use of pool and all other club facilities with exception of golf course.
[[Image here]]
4. CLASS B STOCK. Founder members are holders of Non-assessable Class B stock. Founder members elect one director to Corporate board. Class B stock may be transferred after one year. Sale of founder stock is the sole responsibility of the member. Holder of Class B stock is eligible for club membership subject to approval of membership committee.
[General Membership information was not included in the club rules.]
MINUTES
Meeting of Board of Directors
November 11, 1965
[[Image here]]
1. FOUNDER MEMBER. A Founder Membership would be limited to 500 in number of which 300 would be available to the general public. The remaining 200 members would be held for Lynn Development Corporation and Kemp Development Corporation for undeveloped residential lots in the vicinity of the golf course. These memberships would be available to the lot purchasers.

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Bluebook (online)
64 T.C. 460, 1975 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 124, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/university-country-club-inc-v-commissioner-tax-1975.