It
is said that timing is everything, and with that in mind, Gatlinburg
city officials are hoping to be at the right place, at the right time,
in planned renovations of the Gatlinburg Golf Course. Work
should begin in 2007 on renovations to the Gatlinburg Golf Course,
which will include the construction of a new 8,505-square-foot
clubhouse. "(Gatlinburg
City Commission) decided to go ahead and build a new clubhouse and do
the renovations to holes 2, 6, 7, 11 and 13 that were suggested by
Bobby Cupp of Cupp Design Inc.," said Mayor Mike Werner.
Work
should begin in 2007 on renovations to the course, as well as
construction of the new 8,505-square-foot clubhouse designed by Mike
Smelcer of SRA. Estimated cost of the clubhouse is $1.3 million, and the course work is estimated at $550,000, for a total of $1.85 million.
"We'll
be able to do it by raising membership, greens, and cart fees a little
bit," Werner said. "By doing that and amortizing over the proper amount
of years, the renovations will pay for themselves." He went on to say that fees at the golf course have been conservatively low for quite awhile, and "need to be adjusted."
New
fees will probably be instituted in 2008 upon completion of the
renovations. Currently, the fee for a regular membership is $750 per
year, and would increase to $1,200 per year in 2008. Greens fees would
be increased by $6 per round over the current fee of $31 during the
week and $41 on weekends and holidays. Cart
fees for members are now $7 for nine holes of golf, and $14 for 18
holes, and would increase to $8 for nine holes and $16 for 18 holes.
Visitor cart fees are currently $8 for nine holes and $16 for 18 holes,
and would increase to $9 for nine holes and $18 for 18 holes.
According
to figures from David Beeler, Gatlinburg assistant city manager, the
estimated annual debt service on $1.8 million for 15 years is $179,000.
Including the annual equipment lease of $67,000 for the golf course,
the city's total annual debt service payments will be $246,000. The
increase in the fees is expected to bring in $51,750 in annual
membership fees; $140,000 in greens fees; and $59,838 in cart fees, for
a total of $251,588. That amounts to $5,588 more than the city's annual
payments on the debt.
"If we can raise fees and pay for a few
facility, it will be great for our golfing local residents and really
great for our golfing tourist guests. Golfing has become more popular
in the area over the last several years, so timing-wise, I think now is
a good time to do it," Werner said.
Improving the course is
expected to speed up play, and that, Werner said, was his main reason
for wanting to go ahead with the work. "If
we can speed up play and bring more revenue for the course, then we can
accomplish that goal of being able to pay the debt off earlier," he
said.