on June 26, 2021
May 20, 2021 By: Wayne Washington — The West Palm Beach City Commission gave final approval Thursday to a 50-year lease with a not-for-profit developer tied to PGA of America who will refurbish and operate the city’s 179-acre golf course, a major step forward in the years-long effort to bring the neglected course back to life.
“This is absolutely phenomenal for our city,” Commissioner Christy Fox said about refurbishing the course, which is south of Forest Hill Boulevard, east of Interstate 95 and west of South Dixie Highway. “This is going to bring opportunity to our city. It’s going to bring jobs to our city.”
Commissioner Kelly Shoaf added: “I just wanted to state for the record that I am very excited about this project. In so many ways, I think it will be helpful.”
Earlier this month, city officials gave initial approval to an operational and development agreement with the West Palm Golf Community Trust, the nonprofit formed by the South Florida section of PGA of America to rebuild the course.
City officials said the future West Palm Golf Park will feature a Gil Hanse-designed 18-hole course, a nine-hole short course similar to his “Cradle” course at Pinehurst in North Carolina, a full short game area, two putting greens, a practice range, clubhouse and facilities. The park will have a major focus on junior golfers with world-class coaching and golf experiences at affordable rates.
The lease is for 50 years with an option to extend it for an additional 20 years. West Palm Golf Community Trust is expected to make an initial investment of at least $9 million and will pay rent of $1 per year. That rent could be raised in 10 years if the course generates excess revenue, with the city permitted to use the money to pay for upgrades at the course or on public projects within a half-mile of it.
The lease is for 50 years with an option to extend it for an additional 20 years. West Palm Golf Community Trust is expected to make an initial investment of at least $9 million and will pay rent of $1 per year. That rent could be raised in 10 years if the course generates excess revenue, with the city permitted to use the money to pay for upgrades at the course or on public projects within a half-mile of it.
“It’s going to expose golf to all ZIP codes in the city,” Fox said.
Initial plans for the redevelopment of the course included housing on some of its 179 acres. Those plans fizzled, keeping the course in a sort of decaying holding pattern.
The city had spent millions refurbishing the course in 2009, but the greens and clubhouse fell into disrepair.
By 2015, then-Mayor Jeri Muoio had the clubhouse demolished, saying it it was too moldy to repair.
Three years later, the city closed the course, hoping to save on maintenance costs while starting the search for a developer.
Those searches spawned consultants and requests for proposals, but none of the proposals moved forward.
A Texas golf instructor, Mike McGetrick, proposed redeveloping the course through a nonprofit foundation instead of relying on construction profits. McGetrick, however, could not come up with financing before the city’s deadline expired in November 2019.
PGA of America then stepped into the picture.
City officials liked the idea of partnering with an organization with a long track record in the sport, including ownership of a 54-hole resort called PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie and the PGA Center for Golf Learning and Performance, also located in Port St. Lucie.
The housing aspect of the redevelopment plans had been a stumbling block.
Former City Commissioner Shanon Materio, whose district included the golf course site, grew frustrated with the fits and starts of the plans.
“The land was given to the city for a single purpose — a municipal golf course,” she said last year when redevelopment plans were discussed. “Not for housing. Not for hotels, and not even as a city asset.”
Now, with plans moving forward, excitement about the course’s future is building.
“I think you hit the jackpot,” Gerald Christiansen, a Lake Worth resident, told city commissioners on Thursday.