D.C.’s Public Golf Courses “Looking at a capital investment of $30-40 million!!”

Photo by PoPville flickr user Phil

“Dear PoPville,

Found this by chance, but it looks like the National Park Service entered into a partnership/lease agreement with the Federal City Council (run by former mayor Tony Williams along with DC corporate big wigs).

Looking at a capital investment of $30-40 million across all three courses (including a driving range at Rock Creek!!)

National Park Service Golf Course Announcement (PDF)

Who knows when/what will happen, but formal partnership/lease starts January 2019.”

Check out a press releasefrom GolfDC after the jump.

Dear GolfDC Public/Friends/Visitors,

Today, June 28th, the National Park Service (NPS) announced that they are entering into a Letter of Intent with the non-profit Federal City Council (FC2) to negotiate a future lease for Rock Creek, Langston and East Potomac Golf Courses. Golf Course Specialists (GCS) currently operates the golf courses under a NPS concessions contract that runs through 12/31/2018 and will continue to provide uninterrupted visitor services during the term of our contract.

GCS has been involved in the operation of the golf courses since the early 1980s. And it has been our distinct pleasure to work on behalf of the public to offer affordable golf in the nation’s capital. While we continue to be supporters of the National Park Service, we believe that the NPS concessions system is not the best management paradigm for the golf courses.

For the bulk of the last 15 years, GCS has operated the golf courses on month-to-month concessions contracts, with limited visibility for future plans and no opportunity for capital investment needed in the properties. GCS has been open and honest with the NPS regarding the poor prospects for the courses without significant financial investment being permitted. We have voiced our opinion that a long-term improvement strategy with continuous cycles of capital investment is required. We are pleased that the Park Service has taken this step to better secure the future of the golf courses.

We are not thinking of this as the end of GCS, but view this as the start of a positive and exciting new chapter for the golf courses that we all care so much about. As a non-profit, the Federal City Council will be positioned to make the much needed major investment in all three golf courses. GCS believes that this is a transformative moment for golf in Washington DC. We support the decision that the National Park Service has made. And we will work with the Federal City Council to provide continuity for our employees and help with this initiative in any way possible.”