Some think the city should sell its municipal golf facility and build on west of I-95
May 9th 2001
by Kathy Bushouse
A new city golf course hasn’t even been committed to blueprints, but it’s already causing controversy.
Its backers say a new course on city-owned land south of Yamato Road and west of Interstate 95 would clear about $1 million a year in profits and help to pay for other city projects – a better library or more soccer and baseball fields. It can be a showcase attracting residents, visitors maybe pro tournaments.
But opponents see it as a civic extravagance that will be too expensive for most residents to play on and resent that it will force the sale of a city-owned course that they think is just fine as is.
This morning is the city’s deadline for would-be purchasers to submit bids for the existing 27-hole municipal course on Glades Road west of Florida’s Turnpike.
Some think the city could get as much as $15 million for the 15 year old course-enough, some City Council members have said, to pay for new links within city limits.
Advocates have been pushing a new golf course for more than a year, after the city paid $45 million for more than 300 acres the city owns at the T-Rex Technology Center at Boca Raton.
The proposed course fills a niche, said M.J. “Mike” Arts, President of the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce. The 2,578 square miles of the county may be awash with golf courses-more than 145 from Boca Raton to Jupiter-but not many are open t the public, Arts said.
World-class vision
I think we can build a world-class golf course in Boca Raton,” Arts said. “I don’t think we have to charge $90 a round and still be competitive financially.
“The success we’ve had in the economic development side of this community, a lot of it has been based on the quality of life that we have. This is just something that adds to it.”
Critics say this is a bad idea for a number of reasons.
The existing municipal course will be paid off by next year. A new course would be too expensive for most residents to pay. There is no shortage of golf courses in Palm Beach County. Other city needs could be met on that land. Very rarely are pro tournaments played on municipal courses.
Round figures
For many, the possible price for a round of golf at the proposed course is a sticking point. A study for the city by the National Golf Foundation said the course could have a net operating income of $1.2 million after five years if the course charges $75 a round.
Current city course prices are much lower-roughly $40 to play 189 holes or less depending on the time of day.
Longtime golfer Malcolm Cameron, 76 got more than 100 signatures on a petition among golfers at the Boca Raton Municipal Golf Course opposing the sale of the current course.
Some people may be able to pay $75 or more to play on a new city course, Cameron said, but he’s not one of them.
I�m a retired school teacher. I can handle [fees at the current course],” he said. “But it sounds to me like they’re going to price a lot of people out [with the proposed course].”
Discussion urged
Joe Good, a member of the city’s parks and recreation advisory board, questioned the wisdom of the city forging ahead with a golf course that would be too expensive for many players. He said he wants to see more time for public discussion of the course.
“If we build a $125-plus course, it’s not for our residents,” Good said.
Proponents, however, see grand horizons in the projected fairways.
“People will want to come and experience a spectacular course,” said a report by the city’s Golf Course Advisory Committee, which recommended building a new course.
“Also, a spectacular course may attract many types of events, tournaments and charities. Provided the proposed course meets with USAG approval, there exists the possibility of staging actual amateur and professional tournaments. This in turn would generate more coverage of the facility and stimulate the local economy.”
Planning the course
Before dreaming up what a new golf course could bring, Boca Raton should first figure out what it wants the course to be, said Jeff Lucovsky, vice President of McCumber Golf. That�s a golf course design and management firm in Jacksonville founded by professional golfer Mark McCumber.
Does the city want to build a course to attract tournaments? Lure dedicated players seeking a new challenge? Or serve residents just looking for a good inexpensive round of golf?
“It’s so important, as they get through this, they need to figure out what they want to be, because that will dictate what they�re likely to spend,” Lucovsky said.
Building a decent 18-hole course could cost anywhere from $3.5 million to $5 million, Lucovsky said. Something fancier, such as curse that could host professional tournaments, would cost millions more.
Lucovsky said the 165 acres the city has set aside is roomy enough for a golf course intended for residents, but too small for big-time tournaments.
“A championship course is fine…but if you’re going to hold a real event, you�re going to have to have more room than that,” Lucovsky said.
The Professional Golfers Association Tour and the United States Golf Association wouldn’t characterize how difficult it is for a municipal course-even a high-end course-to be considered for a tournament game.
But the groups� 2001 tour schedules speak volumes.
Of the more than 50 courses used by the PGA for tournaments throughout the year, only two-Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, California, and Brown Deer Park Golf Club in Milwaukee-are city-owned. None of the courses used in USGA championship games, such as the U.S. Open and the U.S. Women’s Open, is a municipal course.
Paying it off
Torrey Pines Golf Course doesn’t charge astronomical prices to play, according to the city of San Diego’s Web site, residents can play at Torrey Pines for $12, while visitors are charged $55 during the week and $60 on weekends and holidays.
Figures were not available for Brown Deer Park Golf Club.
Lucovsky questioned whether the city should sell its old just to build something new.
If you can own a golf course and work your way through paying off a debt.. that’s when golf courses really start making money,” Lucovsky said.
That�s the beauty of something like that. It’s just like paying off your car, you’re going to have to fix it up from time to time but you don’t have to send off a $400 check every month.’