Following the lack of a second by the Fairfax City Council to sign a contract to run the golf course at Fort Ridgely State Park, the future of the course is in doubt, the Mankato Free Press, West Central Tribune and New Ulm Journal report, although the plan's supporters continue to hold out hope for another public sponsor.
The editorial board of the Mankato Free Press, on the other hand, say in Our View: Golf course: After a good effort, it's time to give up on Ridgely golf course.
At the New Ulm Journal, Fritz Busch reported last week in Golf course resolution dies for lack of second:
It’s already been a long, strange trip, but the journey to revive the Fort Ridgely State Park from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) chopping block took another U-turn Tuesday.
A resolution approving a concession agreement between the City of Fairfax and the state died for lack of a second at a Fairfax City Council meeting.
Mayor Lois Gilles had to ask for a motion to approve the resolution three times before City Councilor Ralph Fairchild made a motion. She asked for a second to the motion three times but got no response.
“What did we lack?,” Fairfax Golf Course Committee member Tom Otto asked the City Council after Gilles called the question.
“It’s a difficult decision, but I don’t think there is enough money,” said Councilor Josh Bunkers.
“I’ve gotten lots of feedback against the agreement,” said Councilor Jenny Hazelton. . . .
In its editorial, the Free Press board noted:
Despite their best effort, supporters haven’t been able to get the ball on the fairway when it comes to reopening the Fort Ridgely golf course. It’s time they stopped swinging.
The 90-year-old course inside the state park was closed last year by the DNR after a contentious debate. A group of course supporters fought the closure at every turn and after it was shut down sought intervention from state lawmakers, some of whom put pressure on the DNR to lease the course to the city of Fairfax so they could operate it. Under such a plan the city would have to pay rent and a certain percentage of profits to the park.
The Fairfax City Council said it would consider doing just that if supporters raised enough money to cover projected costs for the first year.
But fundraising was an issue. Although supporters said $70,000 was pledged, the fund only had $38,000 in cash. Supporters set out to raise additional funds and said they raised an additional $27,000.
But the Fairfax Council had clearly lost confidence in the plan. When the issue came up at a recent meeting, a motion was made to approve a contract but no member would even second the motion.
The supporters, consisting of a core group of about 15, say they will continue to fight on.
We admire their pluck, but it’s clear there isn’t broad enough support for reopening the course.
The core problem appears to be that the course simply won’t generate the income — and or financial pledges — for it to operate successfully. The city of Fairfax understandably doesn’t want to get into a contract with dubious financials.
Those financials are one of the reasons the DNR moved to close the course in the first place. They had been subsidizing operation of the out-of-the-way course for years.
And the DNR had other solid reasons for wanting to close the course. Operating golf courses is clearly not a common mission of a state park. And a golf course inside the park, which is steeped in military, Dakota Indian and natural history, is more a distraction than a strong amenity.
We tend to agree with the Free Press, but then, we don't golf, but visit the park (and take friends visiting the area) for the history and natural history, part of a tour of places related to the US Dakota War of 1862. The natural history of the area and the story of the war and its terrible consequences always make for a great ramble.
Given that there are a number of golf courses in the area, the high cost of running the course and the low revenue stream suggest that it's time to focus on the park's historical and natural areas. Tom Cherveny reported in the West Central Tribune article, Friends continue quest to save Fort Ridgely golf course:
The golf course was developed in 1927. The course saw usage decline from 6,300 rounds in 1998 to 2,700 rounds in 2015, according to information from the DNR. When announcing its intentions to remove the course, it reported that the course cost the parks division $122,000 a year to operate and provided revenues of $26,000.
Photo: A restored military building at Ft. Ridgely State Park.
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