City Golf Courses: A Financial Burden?
There has been much discussion over the past 15-18 months about the future of the two City Golf Courses (i.e., Ocala Municipal and Pine Oaks). Consultants have given city council recommendations and the public has weighed in on the issue. The golf program is losing an estimated $383,000 a year and no end is in sight. An editorial in the Star-Banner outlines some of the alternatives to be considered and decisions that need to be made:
http://www.ocala.com/article/20080216/OPINION/802160341/1008/OPINION&template=artwithcomments
What do you think? Are golf courses something the City of Ocala should continue to financially support? Are there other alternatives to solving the golf course funding problems?
Let’s hear from you.
posted by Blog Master @ 12:54 PM
8 Comments:
Sell all of Pine Oaks and put the money into improving Muni.
What poor timing to sell land! Best close down Pine Oaks, give the 9 holes to MTI and wait until 2010 to try to sell the other 9. Procrastination is costly.
Simple solution. Just turn over the golf courses to the County in the City and County Parks merger. The County Commissioners will know what to do with them, as they did with the Fairgrounds.
I go in and play at the Municipal Course several times a year. In my opinion it is real value for the money. An excellent course and the charges are more than reasonable. Having played in Tampa and Orlando, fees could be higher in Ocala. I hope that doesn't happen, but a fee increase would not be unreasonable.
Sell them both. The taxpayers don't need the expense.
While there are worthwhile services which the City of Ocala should be spending taxpayer money on; subsidizing a golf course for a minority of the people is NOT one of them. Let the golfers take the personal responsibility of paying to play and not have their recreation paid for by those who do not play.
I'm not a City resident but enjoy using the municipal course every now and then. It is a very good course for the fee. Would hate to see it sold and used for housing.
Ocala should issue a RFP to find a private company to manage both golf courses.
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