Shadow Creek has the reputation of being one of the most expensive courses built in America, a reported $47 million at the time, which translates to roughly $120 million in today's dollars. Designer Tom Fazio said that a budget was necessary at Shadow Creek to perform what he now calls "total site manipulation," creating an environment where none existed by carving rolling hills and canyons from the flat desert floor north of Las Vegas and pumping in plenty of water. Alas, this once-in-a-lifetime dream design has been too successful, triggering many equally expensive, but inferior, imitations.