Last week, before the McDonald?s LPGA Championship at Bulle Rock began, Harford County and state economic development officials talked of the event?s importance as a showcase for Havre de Grace, the county and the region.
But now, they?re talking about how to stop it from leaving Maryland.
LPGA Commissioner Carolyn Bivens surprised course managers and local officials Friday when she announced that the LPGA would take over ownership of the event beginning in 2010.The LPGA wants to expand the event?s financial support, which may mean a move to a new market.
“I want to stress this was a decision that was between McDonald?s and the LPGA, and ? all of us, including the golf course, [were] out of the loop,” said Jim Richardson, Harford County?s director of economic development. “I?m surprised they did it like this.”
A move from the eastern Harford County course hinges on sponsorship money. McDonald?s will bow out as title sponsor in 2010, though Ronald McDonald House Charities will remain the primary beneficiary of the event.
While the 2010 event will have no title sponsor, there may still be a presenting sponsor. Coca-Cola currently fills that slot. But both Coca-Cola and McDonald?s decided not to continue with the event after the LPGA wanted to increase the purse size from $2 million to $3 million and turn the event into a moneymaker, said Bulle Rock General Manager Rick Rounsaville.
“In some ways, it wasn?t a total shock because I had known the LPGA was trying to take this event on their own for a while,” Rounsaville said. “They want to use this tournament as a revenue stream for the LPGA rather than a charity.”
Richardson and Harford County Executive David Craig met with LPGA representatives at Bulle Rock on Monday to discuss the situation, and expected that Harford County would put together a bid to keep the event. A strong financial showing for the 2009 event and interest from major corporate sponsors going forward would be crucial to that bid, Richardson said.
Richardson said “plan B” if the LPGA departs Bulle Rock would be to lure another major golf event to the county. But that departure isn?t a done deal just yet, and he said the LPGA faces its own challenges in raising money for the event.
“We?ll have to blow their doors off to stay in the running,” Richardson said. “But in that period of time, they?ll have to see what they market can bear, if they can up their purses to $3 million, to $3.5 million, if LPGA can support that brand.”
