The Montgomery County Planning Board voted Thursday to transfer control of half the county’s public golf courses to the county Revenue Authority, which already controls the other half. The four courses maintained by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission in Montgomery County — Needwood, Little Bennett, Sligo Creek and Northwest Park — have lost money for eight of the past nine years, planners told the board.
“We have been unsuccessful in that there is a flat demand for golf,” said acting Deputy Park and Planning Director Bill Mooney. They have worked for more than a year to turn around performance, he said.
While the Revenue Authority’s five courses haven’t done much better, Mooney suggested the no-bid transfer would eliminate competition in public parks and allow them to consolidate maintenance and marketing resources.
The City of Rockville operates a 10th course at Redgate that is not affected by this deal.
The Revenue Authority is a public corporation that runs several self-supporting projects, including the Gaithersburg Airpark and King Street Art Center in Silver Spring.
Under the agreement, due to take effect April 15, the Revenue Authority does not commit to maintaining all nine courses indefinitely. If it returns any of the courses to the parks department, they will no longer operate it as a golf course.
The plan has its detractors, including former Planning Department chief Jack Hewitt.
“This is a public park system. There’s more to it than finances,” Hewitt told the board. “What are you going to do if the ice rinks aren’t making a profit, the tennis courts? These are public parks.”
Michael Williams, who manages three golf courses in the District for the National Park Service, pleaded with the Planning Board to delay the deal and reopen bidding to private operators as well.
X-ray of a deal
» The proposed deal leases the four courts to the Revenue Authority for $480,000 a year for each course.
» The Planning Board has committed these funds to paying off debt and obligations on the courses.
