In his article "City Park still receiving input on controversy," on 3/19/09, Brian Allee-Walsh accurately notes that "the City Park situation is reminiscent of the one at Audubon Golf Club, which, despite public outcry, underwent a $6 million renovation in 2002," and quotes Audubon golf director Stan Stopa, who refers to "that foolishness" with regard to having "to fight with those people, just to do what we have here now".

Let's be clear on what "we have here now" at Audubon really means. In 2001, Audubon Nature Institute officials claimed their new golf course was necessary to provide operational funds for maintenance of the park, whose poor maintenance was a regular source of complaint by park users. The ANI produced a market study by Golf Resource Associates that projected a positive net cash flow from the new facility of $140,525 in the first year, steadily increasing to $370,141 in year five.

The reality is that the new Audubon Golf Course has been a huge money loser from the outset, including its much-heralded first full year of 2003, when it had an operating loss of $336,300. In its fifth year, 2007, despite being the only public course available in the city at that time, it lost $415,819. In fact, the last year golf made any profit at Audubon was 2000, the year before the new course was begun.

Just like at Audubon in 2001, City Park officials are now justifying this $46 million plan as a way to bring in needed revenue for support of the park. It is exactly because of what happened at Audubon that makes so many people suspicious of City Park's golf plans now.

Developers of "controversial" projects in New Orleans are very fond of claiming that those who oppose their plans are always the same people, and always driven by fear or dislike of "progress". Rarely do they concede that it's the flaws in their plans that create the opposition in the first place.

Debra Howell

The folks who want to turn City Park into a golfer's heaven like to say that before Katrina, golf course acreage occupied 34 percent of City Park, while the new master plan reduces golf course occupancy to only 31 percent, so what is the beef?

As my grandmother always liked to point out, two wrongs do not make a right. The reality is that the master plan proposes to use more than 50 percent of the available green space in the park for golf. Is City Park for all of the people of New Orleans or mostly for privileged golfers?

Like I said, "subject to financing, the Bayou District Plan is a "done deal."

Maybe the financing is a little shaky?

And as far as Stan Stopa's comments about people complaining about being handed a gold bar, I have this to say.

If in this case the gold bar is a $45 million golf complex and the receiver is the Louisiana public golfer, there are some real problems with this transaction.

That's right, City Park is attempting to cover its newly found green spaces with new golf courses.

As a review, here is the link http://neworleanscitypark.com/downloads/nocpgolf.pdf This is the draft of a modification to the City Park master plan for the area north of I 610. Page 18 is the existing conditions although it is difficult to tell that north of Filmore there is an open course and south of Filmore there are no courses. Page 21 is the new plan for the entire area including a multi million clubhouse, a street entering City Park at Mirabeau Avenue and parking lots. And page 37 shows the considerable cut and fill that is needed to accomplish the plan.

A public hearing was held Tuesday evening – March 10th with about 150 people in attendance. Several dozen individuals spoke about the proposal with most being in opposition to the idea of building three new golf courses plus another street, club house and parking lots in City Park north of I 610. All sorts of objections were raised about the proposal. Where will the money come from to complete the project? (There is now about 16 million available but 46 million is estimated to complete the project.) Where are the financial projections of the income? How many rounds will needed to be played at what fees to generate how much income? (No financial data is included in the proposal) Where is the environmental assessment for a project of this magnitude? (The answer was that none had been made). What happens if the income is below expectation, will tax payers be on the hook for that? (One speaker referred to a golf course on the west bank that is now being subsidized by Louisiana taxpayers.) Why are more golf courses being built when nation wide and in Louisiana golf courses are being closed and others in New Orleans have never reopened after Katrina? (No answer was given)

I agree with columnist Peter Finney. An average Josephine myself, I bemoaned the closing of the South Course a few years ago -- it was home to an enjoyable, slower pace of golf. Many older duffers, some women and many learners liked to play this low-fee course where you did not have to contend with rude golfers charging up behind you, hitting into your group and making impolite comments.

It is 2009. Why not plan at least one short course designed to be low fee and walking only (no carts)? Some of us would like to get some walking exercise while we golf.

Building a $46 million golf course during the most disastrous economic period in recent history when most of the country is dealing with loss -- of homes, schools or jobs -- reminds me of the disconnect of a certain French monarch who order officials to "let them eat cake" because the citizens were hungry.

The fact that an environmental impact study has not been done on a project that will use 1 million gallons of water a day is unbelievable.

I was at the meeting Tuesday March 10 discussing the proposal for golfing at City Park and it seems to me the opinions split down three ways: those who endorse the plan as is, those who definitely want to see not as is or as anything, and the majority who see that this proposal as is should not go through. I count myself among that majority and do agree with some of the reasons.

Below are comments Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association member David Muth sent to his neighborhood organization regarding the golf course in City Park prior to a public meeting held March 10, 2009. A decision could be made as early as March 24, when the City Park Board of Commissioners meets at the Pavilion of the Two Sisters. If approved, construction on Phase 1 of the project could begin this year.

March 10, 2009
Thanks for the heads up about the new City Park golf proposal. I went online to read it, and compare it to the 2005 Master Plan it will supersede.

One of the joys of City Park post-Katrina has been that the vast 400+ acre golf complex between I-610 and Robert E. Lee has been available as a public greenspace. For the first time since the former swamp was drained and cleared, people have been out walking, jogging, bike-riding, flying kites, birding, and picnicking as well as fishing in the formerly inaccessible lagoons. Public land used for a public purpose, instead of for the exclusive use of the tiny minority who play golf. Last year City Park re-opened the north course, closing everything between Filmore and Robert E. Lee once again to public use. But the golf area between 1-610 and Filmore has remained open. If you haven’t been out there, give it a visit. The paved golf cart trails are perfect for strolling or bike riding. Wildlife, especially birds, are everywhere.

We are not convinced that a single public meeting is sufficient to meet the requirements of law and policy when so important a matter as the scrapping of the 2005 Master Plan is being considered. A very large committment of state and federal dollars will be required to implement this plan, and a sufficient period of public debate and review is required. We ask the City Park Improvement Association to reject this proposal, or to require it to be revamped so that the loss of public recreational space, promised in the 2005 Master Plan, is compensated for by changes to the design of the golf plan. Any decision should wait for a period of real public review, and an unbiased analysis not driven by the inflated promises of developers.


Dear City Park Improvement Association:

The board of the one thousand member Orleans Audubon Society, representing National Audubon Society members from the fourteen parish area in southeast Louisiana, has reviewed the City Park Golf Master Plan by the Torre Design Consortium. We are writing today in response to the proposal to modify the March 29, 2005 New Orleans City Park Master Plan. The proposed changes to the existing Master Plan are unacceptable. Despite some modifications to the golfing plan presented at September 25, 2007 public meeting by the Bayou District Foundation, these changes are insufficient. We refer to the comments we sent on October 9, 2007 in response to that proposal.

City Park is reported to be 1300 acres total. The new golf course planners claim the courses will be taking up “only 400 acres” of the park, or 31%. Since the only way these experts could come up with this low number is to not count the water features, we have created this handy grid map so everyone can attempt to determine for themselves what the real percentage of City Park area used for golf will be if these plans are approved. Have fun!

Directions: Download the pdf below and print it out. Count all the squares within the outer park boundary to get a total, then add up all the squares in green, representing the new expanded golf courses. Multiply the number of green squares by 100 and divide that number by the total number of squares, which will give you the percentage of the total being used for golf. Then multiply by 1300 acres, and voila! you have the number of acres planned for golf. Hint: we came up with 45%-47%, or roughly 600 acres.

During the past few months, I have met with many prominent people connected with the local golf industry. Not surprisingly, their business reflects the current state of our economy. To borrow a golf phrase, the bottom line is below par.

That is OK if one is actually playing the game, but not so good if one is trying to balance the books.

Some area golf facilities have reached the point of no return. The next 12 months could determine whether their doors remain open. Other facilities appear to be better positioned to weather the storm and not be pulled under by a strengthening economic riptide. Still others are venturing out into the great unknown, specifically the new Lakewood Golf Club in Algiers and the Bayou District Foundation, which is trying to win over the Board of Commissioners at City Park and begin construction on a $46 million golf complex by the end of the year.

NEW ORLEANS -- For some golfers, playing at City Park just feels right.

Their options are fewer these days with two courses still down and out after the storm.

But crowds are flocking to the recently re-opened North course – golfers like Gary McMillen, who said it's a true symbol of recovery.

"If you love the game, the courses here have a long history of good play and it's just exciting to be back on a beautiful day," McMillen said.

City Park officials want to keep the tradition going by re-developing the East and West courses.

At a cost of more than $45 million, it would be a major project with plans that include one of the courses being built using an 18-hole championship layout.

For some golfers, playing at City Park just feels right.

Their options are fewer these days with two courses still down and out after the storm.

But crowds are flocking to the recently re-opened North course – golfers like Gary McMillen, who said it's a true symbol of recovery.

"If you love the game, the courses here have a long history of good play and it's just exciting to be back on a beautiful day," McMillen said.

City Park officials want to keep the tradition going by re-developing the East and West courses.

At a cost of more than $45 million, it would be a major project with plans that include one of the courses being built using an 18-hole championship layout.

Critics are fighting the plan, however, saying they've enjoyed the open green spaces since the storm.

The construction of a controversial $46 million golf complex on 400 acres at City Park apparently is not a done deal after all.

At least, the matter won't get resolved Tuesday when the 36-member board of commissioners convenes for its monthly meeting at the Botanical Gardens-Pavilion of Two Sisters. Park CEO Bob Becker said no vote will be taken on the "master plan." In fact, it won't even be on the agenda.

The plan has been a hot topic since March 10, when several hundred people gathered at the pavilion to voice their opinions. Several suggested the event was little more than a dog-and-pony show and that the project had already been rubber-stamped, a charge that several board members vehemently denied.

No additional public meetings are scheduled, but park officials will continue to accept public comments through next week before Becker and his staff get down to business.

The slumping economy hasn't forced Las Vegan Michael Schroeder to ease up on his twice-a-week golf habit.

But when Schroeder hits the links these days, it's clear to him that plenty of locals have pared their tee times. Playing one Summerlin course in mid-February, Schroeder, an air traffic controller, saw 12 other golfers on a property that can tee off 40 people an hour.

And the courses Schroeder plays have slashed greens fees. It cost him $54 to play at Angel Park Golf Club in late February, down from $145 during flush economic times a couple of years ago. In Sun City Summerlin, greens fees on the Highland Falls and Palm Valley courses dropped to as little as $35 or $40, with perks including free sodas and balls. Overall, it's a great time to be a local golfer, and a not-so-great time to be a course operator.