ERIE, Pa. – Erie Golf Club may have a new owner before the end of next year.
Erie County Judge Marshall Piccinini granted Millcreek Township’s request to sell its 160-acre 18-hole golf course on Monday. Tuesday, supervisors unanimously voted to request an appraisal of the property as the next step towards selling the golf course.
Mark Shaw, the township solicitor, said that “once we receive the appraisal, we’ll begin the process of putting together a bid package.”
The township will pay $15,000 for the appraisal, with a $9,000 retention fee, from Golf Property Analysts of Conshohocken.
Since 2009, the township owns Erie Golf Club, which is located at 6050 Old Zuck Road. It acquired the course in a deal made with the city Erie. The course was built in 1921 by the celebrated architect A.W. Tillinghast.
7637 Enterprises operates the course on a five-year agreement that ends at the end 2024 of the golf season. As part of the agreement, the township will receive $37,000 per year. However, it expects to incur a deficit in the amount of $160,000 over the next five years because of costs associated with repairs and capital expenses.
Ashley Marsteller is the director of parks and recreation for the township. She says that the course also needs improvements worth millions of dollars, such as a new irrigation systems. Marsteller gave testimony at a petition hearing.
Shaw stated that “our current operations contract will end at the (end of the) next year, and we have set this date (for the sale to be complete).”
Piccinini, in his order to approve the petition, stated that proceeds from the sale of the Erie Golf Course should be allocated to the parks and recreation department in the township and not the general fund.
