Bradenton’s municipal golf course could be given a new lease of life after its sister course undergoes a complete overhaul.
The Sarasota owned Bobby Jones Golf Club is hosting a grand opening celebration from 9am to 12pm on December 15th. First tee time will begin the following day. City residents can now enjoy a 40% discount on the 18-hole Donald Ross designed course. This is in addition to the 10% discount that was discussed by officials when they set prices for the facility back in October.
Bradenton residents, who own the River Run Golf Links in the area, are left with few options for staying competitive and productive.
The property near the Pittsburgh Pirates Spring Training Facility, River Run, has seen its net income increase over the past few years.
Should Bradenton officials take a proactive approach to River Run so that they do not have to undergo a similar renovation to Bobby Jones?
In a story published in the Sarasota Tribune-Herald, the Community News Collaborative outlined what the consulting firm believes needs to be done to the popular course so that it can remain viable. They also offered suggestions for a possible rebuild to help the course compete better with its renovated neighbor.
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The Jupiter Organization’s 92-page report gives an overview of the golf course, local market, finances, and five projects worth about $600,000. All but one are deemed “mission-critical” by the report. It also examines longer-term and more expensive projects, such as construction of a practice range adjacent to the course and its rebuilding.
Mayor Gene Brown stated that the $24,000 spent by the city on the report, and the subsequent discussion, was “worth it.”
The NGF report suggests that the River Run rates could be increased for those who live outside of town to help pay for the improvements.
Sarasota has a new winter fee schedule that ranges from $70 up to $124. Residents of the city get a 40% off. River Run’s rates range from $38.32 up to $54.21 during the same period from late November to early April.
Five short-term projects worth about $600,000.000 are recommended in a 92-page report by a consultant to improve River Run Golf Links. The report stated that a rebuilding could cost up to $7.25million.
The report acknowledged River Run’s lower prices, but recommended a dynamic fee that would take into account the current demand. This is similar to how airlines sell their tickets.
The consultants felt there was room for the same type golfer to enjoy the outdoors and save some money, but there may be opportunities to raise prices to recover a bit of cash. Perry added that the report showed the course received a “clean bill of health.”
River Run has become a bit dated, so the quick fixes may not be sufficient in the long term.
The golf course will need a major renovation soon due to the age of its components. The current conditions of the course are not up to industry standards. This is especially true in regards to the quality of turfgrass, from tee-to-green. The NGF team is concerned that as time passes, it will be increasingly difficult for the maintenance staff to maintain a sufficient quantity and quality of turf. This will lead to golfers looking for other courses, despite River Run being affordable.
The report stated that the cost of a new construction could reach $7,25 million. Other alternatives were also suggested. Perry warned caution was advised, no matter what the future path.
He said, “I have never been against the game of golf.” “But we have to be good stewards with the money.” We had to first figure out our half-million-dollar debt, but we couldn’t raise prices to make up for it because no one wanted to play.
