The battle over public vs. private golf
There was a time when the only choice for golfers who couldn't afford to join a country club was to play a municipal course.
That time ended many years ago with the construction of many privately owned golf courses in and around Carson City. For a while, it seemed a new course was being built every year. We were suddenly flush with great courses, and something new to market our area to visitors.
But with the current economy, that trend has reversed. Yesterday, the issue of taxpayers subsidizing Eagle Valley Golf came to a head at the Carson City Board of Supervisors meeting.
The city hired Carson City Municipal Golf Corp. in 1997 to manage the two city-owned courses, with the understanding that they would pay regular lease payments. But as the economy suffered, so did the payments.
Also at issue is the money the city spends to maintain the golf courses, and how Carson City Municipal Golf Corp. is able to purchase supplies through the city and escape paying sales taxes.
On the private side of the equation are Mark Turner of Silver Oak Golf Course, and Dwight Millard of Empire Ranch Golf Course, who are complaining that it's unfair for the city to subsidize Eagle Valley to the detriment of their private businesses.
Mayor Bob Crowell said Eagle Valley Golf saves the city money because it would have to pay extra to store effluent water the golf courses use.
But I'm not sure how well that went over with Turner and Millard, who both buy effluent water from the city for their courses. What would happen if the private courses decided to stop buying effluent? Would the city have to spend money to build holding facility? Could you not make the same argument that they save the city money?
Not charging for effluent and possible property tax abatements were floated as options to correct the imbalance between the municipal and private courses. We'll have to wait and see how this one plays out.
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