06/01/1992 Park Board Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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HOW IS A GOLFCOURSE SUPPORTING QUESTIONS: start operation with a temporary facility for exactly that reason. Perhaps an attractive double-wide or ..� 1. What Is the Actual Land Cost? possibly the first small phase of the clubhouse, to be added to later. The function is to get golfers playing 2. How Much Will Your Planned your course. Facilities Cost? But in considering function,don't shortchange your- 3. What Will the Course Construction self or the project on quality. Do it right.It is better to Costs Be? have a smaller first-class facility than a spacious one i 4. What Will the Architect Charge? that will cost more to operate and maintain up front, and will cost more to redo in a few years. You can always expand a quality, well-planned first phase STEP 1: clubhouse. Land Cost Except for the clubhouse itself, you may want to include most of the other facilities in conjunction with At this stage you should have a practical figure of the course construction budget. It is often easier to what,if anything,land for the course will cost,includ- complete some of them during construction. For ex- ing any extra land you may have decided to acquire for ample,it costs considerably more and disrupts play to later use,sale or expansion.If that land is acquired as wait until after the course is completed to install golf part of a major annexation, the primary costs, of car paths.In certain cases you could be damaging parts course,will be legal fees.And,in rare instances,it may of the course already in play. be possible to acquire enough land by condemnation and eminent domain if the subsequent"public good" STEP 3: of a municipal golf course and other recreational area can be sufficiently proved. Construction Costs In any case,make sure in the title search that the land The cost of building a course varies widely.It is based acquired is not encumbered with such things as pre- on the contour of the land, the type of soil, the committed sewer lines,projected power lines or future vegetation,water and wetlands,section of the country, right-of-ways,and that you know of any earlier ease- the labor market and other factors.You may choose to ments. Make sure you have water rights, too. use the following rule-of-thumb 1988 average range estimates from the American Society of Golf Course STEP 2: Architects: Facilities Cost Construction of 18-holes $1,500,000 to $3,500,000 Maintenance equipment 250,000 to 450,000 Based on the type of facilities you have planned, as Maintenance building 100,000 to 250,000 discussed in chapter 3,you should have decided what Annual Maintenance budget 200,000 to 500,000 to build during the first stage and at subsequent stages. The first stage will include the maintenance facilities, These figures include the basic course construction, golf car storage,possibly golf car paths and shelters. irrigation system,shelters,bridges and cart paths and Later stages would likely include the clubhouse and grow-in costs (the maturation time for the newly other planned amenities. grassed course).Note of caution:The additional time it might take to grow-in a course because of weather or To emphasize an earlier point,in planning your club- other factors could result in subsequent costs as much house, put primary emphasis on function. This will as$200,000 or more. It could be a major figure added help you keep the cost down.Many good golf courses to your total construction costs. 26 Guidelines for Planning and Developing a Public Golf Course