July 09, 2004

By: Tova Laramee
Website: http://www.1st-in-golf.com

Washoe County Commission Hears Golf Course Financial Report, Raises Fees

Facing declining rounds of golf, combined with 17 new golf courses in the region since 1991, the County Commission at its meeting today adopted an average 7.9 percent increase in fees at the Washoe and Sierra Sage golf courses.

They also agreed to contract for food service, to eliminate one maintenance position and to a future transfer of a portion of water rights sale proceeds of $412,000 to help decrease the reliance of the Golf Course Enterprise Fund on subsidies from the general fund.

The courses had operating losses in 2001-2002 and $500,000 in operating losses in 2002- 2003, which the County General Fund subsidized. According to the staff report, at the current rate of operating losses the Golf Course fund would run out of cash and not be able to pay its bills to meet debt payment around December 2004.

The 7.9 percent increase isn’t sufficient to put the golf courses in the black, Darin Conforti told the Board. Ten percent isn’t enough, but we feel it’s the most these courses can sustain without further impacting the decline in rounds of play. We will need multiple-year increases.

The Board will consider at a later meeting whether to continue subsidizing golf course operations with the general fund or follow another approach to make the golf course selfsufficient.

The Board will use a consultant’s report commissioned in November 2003 for long-term recommendations for management of the golf courses. The report is a joint effort between Washoe County, the City of Reno and the Reno-Sparks convention and Visitor’s Authority, which combined own six public golf courses that face comparable financial challenges. Also see: golf equipment reviews.

Author Notes:

Tova Laramee contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.1st-in-golf.com.  A source of information on golf equipment, golf manufacturers, supplies, tips and more.