• Blog: Weigh in on Fontenell Golf Course
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The possible closure of Fontenelle Golf Course comes a step closer Thursday with the final public meeting before the city announces its intentions.
City officials appear to be leaning toward closing the course, which in its heyday was one of Omaha's premier nine-hole experiences. A decision is expected by the end of the month.
"I think we're close to a decision, and the decision doesn't look good for keeping the golf course ... I'll be honest with you about that," said Ben Gray, the city councilman who represents the neighborhoods served by the park. "First of all, and the biggest thing, it's losing money.
"Secondly, there are potentially better uses ... for that park."
According to city officials:
» Fontenelle lost more money last year than Omaha's three other nine-hole courses combined. Last year's loss was $110,000, and over the past 10 years, the number of rounds played at the park has dropped by 60 percent.
» Expansion of the course's lagoon would help Omaha meet a federal mandate to fix its obsolete sewer system at a lesser cost.
» The course's roughly 55 acres of green space have drawn the interest of some neighbors and groups interested in new recreational opportunities in north Omaha.
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What's unclear, however, is where the money for such a transformation would come from. The city has the money to close the course and expand the lagoon because sewer fees would help.
Since last fall, the city has held two public meetings and a handful of private stakeholder meetings on the future of the golf course and the rest of Fontenelle Park. Stakeholder groups have included the NorthStar Foundation, Benson-Ames Alliance, Edmonson Youth Outreach and an informal collection of environmentalists and others interested in habitat.
At Thursday's meeting, officials will present the options of keeping the course open and two different designs of how the park could look if some of the suggestions were put into effect. The city also will discuss what happens next, should the course close.
John Condon, a golfer who has fought to defend Omaha's public golf courses, said he is dismayed by Omaha's direction.
"They're setting a precedent, closing a park," he said. "Historically, (the courses) have never made money, and if that's the reason they're doing it, it's disastrous."
City Councilman Gray said the days of the city funding municipal golf courses are over. He said he expects a decision on Fontenelle's future within the next week or so.
"We don't want to subsidize them. We'll spend the money to keep them up, but they need to be a bit more viable," he said. "We have to be a little more judicious with spending taxpayers' dollars."
If the course is closed, the land would remain park land, Gray said. There is no hidden agenda for private development, he said. State law prohibits conversion of park land to private development.
Contact the writer:
402-444-1102, nancy.gaarder@owh.com
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