It's been nearly a year since City Park officials said anything publicly about their post-Katrina commitment to bring a championship golf complex to the storm-ravaged site of the old East and West courses. But City Park CEO Bob Becker is adamant that the ambitious project is alive and well. Becker said last week that the design phase for the facility is heading into the home stretch. His board of commissioners expects to solicit construction bids by the fall and award a contract and break ground by year's end.

"The good thing is it's in final design," Becker said. "That's a huge step forward, and we're on track to choose a contractor by mid-September."

Exactly what the course will look like, however, is still unclear.

Negotiations with private investors have dragged on for more than two years, but park administrators have been unable to close a deal for the proposed $24.5 million development. The park is still counting on a pledge by the Bayou District Foundation -- a nonprofit group that partnered in the redevelopment of the nearby St. Bernard public housing complex -- to contribute $8.9 million in private cash.

The foundation would manage the course, and the two sides have haggled over aspects of that agreement, such as how long it will last and how much revenue the park is guaranteed.

Becker said the park is prepared to go it alone without the foundation if necessary. But under that scenario, he said a new clubhouse, driving-range improvements, some landscaping and a maintenance building would be put on hold. Absent outside investment, golf operations likely would be housed in temporary trailers.

"We don't have a deal for all elements of the plan, but we decided to move ahead and Bayou District is completely supportive of us moving forward to go out to bid and get the course started. If we don't reach a deal, we will still have the course," Becker said.

Foundation officials say they remain optimistic that an agreement can be reached with the park. "We are encouraged by project progress and the collaboration of the various parties as we work to restore a great golf course in the park for our local community and visitors alike," Bayou District Chairman Gerard Barousse said in a written statement. "We look forward to finalizing design and all agreements to allow for construction to commence this fall."

The cash-strapped park has relied heavily on golf-related revenue for generations. But because of damage from Hurricane Katrina, golf was on hiatus until September 2009, when the North Course reopened.

Since the storm, park officials have grappled with how to replace the ruined East and West courses with a layout worthy of professional tournaments. City Park has about $15.5 million in hand -- $5.9 million in FEMA reimbursements and $9.65 million from the state capital outlay program -- for the project.

In the spring of 2011, the park board scaled back its original plan, eliminating a nine-hole course and reducing from 310 acres to 250 acres the space needed for the new 18-hole layout. But Becker remains optimistic that the foundation, which already has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in preliminary design work, will live up to its promise.

"Negotiations are ongoing," he said. "It's complicated. We expect to reach an agreement. And we've always expected to reach an agreement."

Along with haggling over money, park officials say they also are hammering out a management agreement. "Both sides have substantial interests," Becker said. "You're talking about a lot of money. And there are plenty of specific business terms to work out.

"It's just taking a long time to get there," he said. "No way around it. Both sides are operating in very good faith and we're trying to bring these negotiations to a conclusion."

The park, with the help of the nonprofit Bayou District, wants to build and operate a high-end 18-hole course, clubhouse and driving range between Interstate 610 and Filmore Avenue.

The course drawings, which are being prepared by Torre Design Consortium and the New Jersey-based Rees Jones Inc. golf-course design company, should be completed by late July.

State government will have a big say in getting the project off the ground. Baton Rouge will oversee the bidding process and any agreement with Bayou District must pass muster with the state attorney general's office.

Becker said the park still hopes to secure more recovery dollars for golf facilities, noting that Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration has asked FEMA to review Katrina damage claims for the East and West courses.

When the damage assessments were drawn up in 2006 and 2007, Becker said the park had no data on what it would cost to repair the North Course, which reopened in September 2009, or information from consultants working on the proposed championship course.

Becker said any extra money could be allocated for North Course improvements as well as any unfunded features on the new championship course.

"If we go it alone, this could fill the gap or allow us to accept a higher construction bid if it goes beyond what we have," he said. "Either way, it's important to try to get everything we're entitled to get from FEMA, and that's what the state is pushing for."

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