West Baden Springs picked a top U.S. resort.

• Position: HOTELS

READERS OF CONDE NAST Travel scored West Baden Springs Hotel high in its annual ranking published in the November 2008 issue. The hotel finished in the top 25 among the Top 75 Mainland U.S. Resorts. Tied at 21st with resorts in Arizona and California, West baden was ahead of such well-known resorts such as the Wynn Las Vegas, The Greenbrier in West Virginia, and The American Club, Wisconsin.

West Baden is part of the $500 million French Lick Resort renovation and expansion by Bloomington-based Cook Group. The other big news for the resort is the spring 2009 opening of its Pete Dye-designed golf course, says Mark Bommarito, vice president of sales and marketing. "We think it will be the No. 1 course of the year. It's the second highest point in the state, two miles north of French Lick/ West Baden." Dye removed trees, he explained, so that golfers can see for miles around from anywhere. "It's spectacular" The new course joins the legendary Donald Ross course and the nine-hole Valley Links course already open on the property. "The goal is to be in the Top 10 of Golf resorts," says Bommarito. In 2010 the resort will host the PGA players...