SOUTH HADLEY — Despite a cumulative operating deficit of more than $1.6 million since opening in 2001, the municipal Ledges Golf Club will stay open for at least another year.
In a unanimous decision Tuesday, the Select Board approved a motion to renew the town’s contract with International Golf Maintenance, which has maintained the town-owned golf course since 2005, through Dec. 1, 2018.
The motion included a stipulation that the Select Board would look into hiring an expert in the golfing industry to manage the controversial golf course, which has been managed in large part by the town. It also announced the board’s intention to come up with a plan for the course that would get rid of, or greatly reduce, its deficit.
The 244-acre Ledges Golf Club, approved by a special Town Meeting in 1997, cost around $5.6 million to build. At the time, town officials had hoped the golf course would bring in a profit, but, according to Town Administrator Mike Sullivan, Ledges revenues have not exceeded costs in any fiscal year. When factoring in other costs — capital losses, liability and salary costs, for example — Sullivan and Town Accountant William Sutton found that Ledges’ deficit is more than $8.5 million.
“There have been years we’ve lost as much as $600,000,” Sullivan said.
The Select Board gave residents an opportunity to share their opinions about the golf course and its future at Tuesday night’s meeting. Packed into the Town Hall’s auditorium, members of the public supported and opposed the golf course’s future.
“My accounting background says we’ve been losing money every year; it’s time to cut our losses,” Dave Mazza said. “I golf, but it’s a losing venture.”
Mazza lives next to the golf course at 18 Mulligan Drive. A longtime South Hadley resident, Mazza and several other neighbors hired environmental lawyers to try to build a case against the golf course before its construction. In addition to costing taxpayers money, he said, Ledges has had a somewhat negative impact on the environment.
“We don’t have deer coming through our yard anymore,” Mazza said. “If I had it my way — I’m all about nature and conservation — I’d shut (the golf course) down and let it all grow back.”
Others, like Town Meeting member Joanna Brown, suggested the town has more important expenses.
Taxpayers’ money, Brown said, should “support the greatest amount of people and support the greatest good for those with the greatest needs. The golf course doesn’t fit either of those things.”
“The Golf Commission says it’s looking into stuff — they’ve been looking into stuff for 15 years,” Daniel Cantin said. “I think it’s a sin to take $600,000 a year and basically throw it away.”
Ledges is on town-owned land bought with state grant money, and the grant specified that the land be used for recreational purposes. Some of the course’s detractors, like Mazza, would like the Select Board to review the other proposals set forth in the late 1990s regarding what to do with the property.
Select Board Member Ira Brezinsky, who proposed the motion to renew the golf course’s maintenance contract, wants Ledges to also be a “win for the non-golfers,” and suggested that a passive recreational feature, like walking trails, could be put on the property.
Many showed up in support of keeping Ledges, too, referring to the course’s beauty and quality. Those supporters also suggested different strategies that could be implemented to help the course make money.
Chris Collins, representing the town’s Golf Commission, gave a two-minute speech detailing the commission’s ideas: increasing fees, creating a marketing campaign, and “over the next couple months exploring various options, including course management, golf operations and food and beverage operations.”
“I don’t play golf, but I view it as an asset,” Ray Rondeau said. “It’s a business venture owned by taxpayers.”
Rondeau and other residents like Rick Constant proposed that the town approach Ledges in a more business-like fashion. Constant suggested hiring a private food service, or private management for the club, saying, “you have to know what you’re good at.”
Henry Boroff, a 17-year resident of South Hadley and former attorney, agreed with that sentiment. He thinks that more marketing is what’s needed to make Ledges successful, as it is often given high praise by those who visit it.
“Every new player who comes to the golf course either says, ‘this is the best-kept secret of the Pioneer Valley or this is the hidden gem of the Pioneer Valley,” Samuel Mazza said, also stating that he thinks more marketing is needed. “It shouldn’t be a hidden gem or a best-kept secret.”
The board will review its options regarding the club, but, for now, Ledges will be open for another year.
“This has to be the last shot,” said John Hine, Select Board vice chairman. “We can’t not have a reliable plan by next summer or fall.”
This story was corrected on Oct. 25, 2017, to show that Joanna Brown is currently a South Hadley Town Meeting member and to correctly attribute the statement that the Ledges “shouldn’t be a hidden gem or a best-kept secret” to Samuel Mazza.