SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) -- GreatLife, one of the local companies left out of the City of Sioux Falls' golf concession selection, offered the City $150,000 plus solely be at risk for profits and expenses to run the three municipal golf courses.
KELO.com News obtained an email that GreatLife owner Tom Walsh sent yesterday to the 35,000-plus members of the GreatLife fitness and golf program. (Click here to see copy.)
Walsh wrote:
"We believe in being good financial stewards"
"The Sioux Falls City golf courses lost more than $400,000 in the year that ended Sept. 30, 2017. These are dollars that could have been used to bring other benefits to our citizens. There is no reason tax dollars should be used to subsidize golf in this community. We offered to lease the City golf courses for $150,000 and be responsible for all revenues and expenses. In 2018, we believe that would have provided a minimum savings to the City of $600,000.""Our revenues at Willow Run and Bakker Crossing were more than double what the three City courses reported in revenue. We accomplished that despite charging our members half of what comparable play would have cost at a City course."
"We know how to make public-private partnerships work."
A recent financial report on the City's three golf courses that the City's Park Board saw this week confirms Walsh's contention regarding the losses. (Click here to see documents.)
According to the monthly income statement for the month ending September 20, 2017, Elmwood, Kuehn Park, and Prairie Green had lost a total of $453,378 so far this year. However, over 97 percent of the loss come from Elmwood, which lost $440,827, while Kuehn Park has lost $241 for the year so far and Prairie Green has lost $12,310.
KELO.com News has not been able to find Landscapes Unlimited's winning proposal posted to the City of Sioux Falls website yet.
The City and Landscapes Unlimited will now negoatiate a contract. The Park Board and the City Council have to give final approval to the contract and the company's selection. The Request for Proposal does note an appeal process for losing proposers.
