By: Diane Benjamin
Golf, golf, golf because the City owns THREE courses. One is never enough for Quality of Life!
The Den at Fox Creek
The Den at Fox Creek Golf Course Budget
Magically the Den is projected to break even!
Prairie Vista
Prairie Vista Golf Course Budget
Magically Prairie Vista is projected to break even too!
Highland Golf Course
Highland Park Golf Course Budget
WOW – Highland too!
That’s not the whole truth however.
The three courses are in an Enterprise Fund. In order to balance the budget, the City used Fund balances to increase revenue:
Highland used $118,568.17
Prairie Vista didn’t use any
The Den didn’t use any either.
Highland is a drain on the fund but the Council refused to do anything about it a years or so ago.
There is still more Parks and Rec. I may get to it, I might not.
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They need to promote golf in our area , why don’t you hear
about these courses on radio or newspapers. Highland Prairie Vista or The Den could be used for business meetings, family gatherings , fund raisers . Do some special pricing with the facilities and golf to get people coming and using them.
But, no we don’t have golfers in our city management so no one else is interested, bull shit
All amenities need to be leveraged and not only in McLean County. CVB gets plenty of tax dollars to do promotions. Every weekend should have a tournament inviting golfers from the surrounding states. Golfers would drive a few hours to play at the Den or Prairie Vista. Think out of the box and globally.
Why? Because it’s run by the government, not the private sector.
Taxpayers can’t afford golf anymore. Our local economy is in the toilet!
So many golf courses have closed. And no amount of “promotion” or marketing will help, Ron. Millennials aren’t golfing. Too expensive and too time consuming. Plus the club house doesn’t provide avocado toast. Three is a waste of money.
Serving Him,
Golf is a waste of money, but Connect Transit is not? You serious? For the record, I think they are both huge wastes of taxpayer dollars.
Highland is the only golf course with an affordable fee for the average schmoe. Compared to the zoo, BPCA or the JudyDome our area golf courses are a bargain for the taxpayers. Plus Highland is the course the high schools use for their practice and tournaments (probably not U-High). I wonder if they are paying for their usage. Don’t tread on my golf…. It is one of the only things to do around here. You know, beside swimming and surfing in our ocean or visiting our local mountain ranges and watching corn and soybeans grow.
Remember: 1) Golf is competitive (like capitalism) and 2) It tends to be associated with white business people. (Makers, not takers). THEREFORE: BLM-NL’s crazy, screaming, white guilt Marxists hate it to the core! I would argue that good golf courses is one of the few features we have left to remind us of the days when this community wasn’t a Leftist craphole. And I say that as a non golfer.
The only question is: Why do taxpayers have to own them? Name something the City does a really good job at!
That’s what ya call fuzzy math.
Cemeteries and golf courses, the biggest waste of prime real estate.
EASY DIANE! SPENDING OUR MONEY!!
Having played all three courses< Highland as a child and Prarie and Den since they opened. It has been sad to see the complete downfall of these courses. Highland is still by far the best value, but it is in poor shape. The Den a once quality golf course that enforced certain etiquette rules is so bad I will not play there any longer. If you look closely you see two brand new John Deere tractors(big money) running around, while the Sandtraps are horrible. The lady who runs the clubhouse is dismissive and rude. I saw several groups driving carts right by the greens and when I asked a Maintenance person, he was told they can not say anything to any golfer because Mgt doesn't like complaints. One little guy on a mower sat in front of me on his phone for ten minutes before he would move so I could play. There is no way that these courses are breaking even or close. Clean house and or sell the properties. Ironwood or ISU are all better quality, and run and maintained better.
I’d send this to the entire council
Wow! An exact breakeven?! What are the odds? Quality of life is great, but in order to enjoy it, people need jobs. Bloomington is in rapid decline economically, yet the City operates business as usual. Just keep funding everything with no accountability. Swell. Maybe CIAM can run the golf courses as well. Haha! Show me the audit report!
Is there ANY aspect of the Bloomington budgets that are making a profit ? If not maybe its time to look at getting a change in leadership, someone who is fiscally responsible, not taking paid vacations at the drop of a hat!