At their regular meeting on March 21, the City Council approved the renewal of the Ballinger Lake Golf Course Lease Agreement with Hardy Golf for 2011 to 2015. The City Council decided to modify the lease agreement by adjusting the annual lease payment and timing, and providing an incentive for annual increased rounds of over 21,000. Currently, golf rounds played continue to decline resulting in operational costs at the golf course outpacing revenues.
Tyrone Hardy, owner of Hardy Golf, explained statistics from the National Golf Foundation showing a national trend in a decline of both rounds played and revenues. “Municipal facilities, like Ballinger Lake Golf Course, have been hit the hardest during this recession,” Hardy said. “If we have a wet, cold spring, we can’t make it up during the summer.”
“This new agreement is a win-win for us,” commented Councilmember Rick Ryan. “We appreciate your transparency and efforts to keep things going.”
In 2006, the city signed a five-year lease with Hardy Golf to operate the Ballinger Lake Golf Course. Between 2006 and 2007, revenues increased by over $45,000. Since 2008, rounds of golf and revenues have declined due primarily to the economic recession and wet weather conditions. In 2008 and 2009, the City Council approved amendments at the request of Hardy Golf that kept the lease payments at 2007 levels.
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