pages: GolfCommission/2008-06-18.pdf, 4
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GolfCommission | 2008-06-18 | 4 | the remaining revenue and anticipated expenses. This will require further incursions upon the Enterprise Fund, which stands at about $1.1 million at the present time. City Council has asked City Staff and the Golf Commission to come up with proposals to fill the gap. Chair Sullwold believes that closure of the Jack Clark South course is shortsighted and ill advised because it would make the Golf Complex a much-less attractive proposition for an outside vendor, which would have to budget for the expense of bringing the course back, thus reducing the amount it would be willing to spend for capital improvements and lease payments to the City. In addition, although the Fry course does not receive as much play as it did ten years ago, it alone could not handle as much play as the two courses together generate at the present time. Accordingly, revenue would be substantially reduced. Although Mr. Lillard has refused to provide the Golf Commission with the detailed budget worksheets that would allow in-depth analysis of projected expenses, Chair Sullwold believes staff has done their best to cut those expenses wherever possible. There is no more fat to cut out. If expenses can be cut no further, one must consider ways to increase revenue. Over the past six months the Golf Commission has initiated and/or supported the following measures at the Golf Complex with that goal in mind: (1) reinstituted a junior golf clinic on Saturday mornings that is currently bringing about 120 children and their parents to the Complex each week, resulting in increased play on the Mif Albright course, expenditures in the restaurant, and creation of a future customer base; (2) made adjustments to tournament policies in an effort to bring more tournaments to the Golf Complex; (3) requested reconfiguration of the Mif Albright course back to its original plan, and instituted lowered rates that have brought play levels up substantially on that course; (4) urged more vigorous and effective use of website marketing to promote special rates; (5) urged additional "demo days" by golf equipment manufacturers that have increased sales in the golf shop; (6) ended much of the complimentary golf rounds at the Complex; (7) recommended several fee adjustments, including raising the rates on the Jack Clark course to be consistent with those charge on the Earl Fry course and instituting a reduced super twilight rate to encourage play in the final hours of the day when the courses are otherwise nearly empty; (8) recommended that the Golf Complex engage a company that has offered to provide handsome scorecards for the Fry and Clark courses in exchange for the right to include some modest and tasteful advertising in the scorecard booklets; and (8) established a marketing subcommittee composed of Golf Commissioners, friends of the Golf Complex, and a marketing executive who is volunteering his time to come up with further marketing ideas. Unfortunately, however, none of these efforts is likely to generate anything like the amount of money that is necessary to fill the budgetary gap. The only thing left to do is to increase fees at the Golf Complex. Chair Sullwold first considered a plan whereby all fees at the Golf Complex would be raised by the same percentage. Assistant Golf Professional Mike Robason pointed out that increasing fees for non-resident golfers is likely to backfire Chuck Corica Golf Complex Page 4 6/18/08 Golf Commission Minutes | GolfCommission/2008-06-18.pdf |