Westchase Leaders To Consider Purchasing Community Golf Course

TAMPA, FL – Supervisors of the Westchase Community Development District will meet Tuesday, Jan. 9, to decide whether the district should explore purchasing the community’s golf course.

According to the community’s online newspaper, World of Westchase Online, the district’s five supervisors plan to vote on whether to sign a letter of intent that may lead to the purchase of the Westchase Golf Club for $4 million.

Westchase, a master-planned, deed-restricted community in northwest Hillsborough County, contains 3,478 homes in 29 neighborhoods. Among the community’s amenities is an award-winning 18-hole public golf course built by nationally known golf course architect Lloyd Clifton in 1992.

The CDD has been negotiating with the owner of the golf course, Nick Neubauer of Chicago, since supervisors learned in November that the facility was on the market.

Since then, according to the World of Westchase, CDD supervisor Greg Chesney and Westchase Community Association President Ruben Collazo have been talking with Neubauer about a potential purchase.

Neubauer reportedly wants $4 million for the property, significantly less than he paid for the golf course. He told CDD representatives that he is willing to spread payments over 13 years.

The CDD vote is scheduled to take place at 4 p.m. at the Westchase Community Association office on Parley Drive. By signing the letter of intent, the supervisors are not agreeing to purchase the golf course. The letter simply secures the property from being sold to another potential buyer. The CDD has six months to explore its options and make a final decision on the purchase.

In recent years, hundreds of community golf courses have been sold as a result of a declining interest nationwide in the sport of golf. Golf course administrators say the facilities are losing money and developers are eager to purchase the land to build more homes.

According to the World of Westchase, the Westchase Golf Club is no exception. Editor Chris Barrett said the facility is losing tens of thousands of dollars each year.

However, Westchase residents like Collazo are concerned that the sale could lead to undesirable development, such as apartments and townhomes, in Westchase.

The CDD currently has $370,000 in uncommitted funds that could be applied toward the purchase of the property. But supervisors believe CCD assessments would need to be increased to purchase the golf course.

For more details, read the story in World of Westchase Online.

Photo via Westchase Golf Club