In February 2014, the City of Savannah entered into an agreement with O.C. Welch Golf Properties, Inc. (WGP) to manage the Bacon Park Golf Course for a period of 12 years. Over the last four years, WGP has invested over $3 million in the restoration of the Donald Ross 18-hole course, and more than $500,000 in the renovation of the Legends 9-hole course. The company has also purchased 70 new golf carts at a cost of $275,000. These investments have led to an increase in community interest and use of the Bacon Park Golf Course. The investments have also drawn attention to the need for a new maintenance building with adequate space and utilities at Bacon Park.

Built in the late 1950s, the current Bacon Park Golf Course Maintenance Building has outlived its usefulness life and is no longer suitable to meet the needs of course operations. The maintenance building suffered extensive damage during recent storms, and combined with ongoing maintenance oversights, has become an unsafe eyesore. Under the terms of the contract with WGP, the City continues to be responsible for the maintenance of all permanent structures.

City staff and WGP worked to redesign the maintenance building to serve as an office space, equipment storage, vehicle storage, and mechanical shop that would accommodate future expansion. Through a construction project managed by WGP, the current structures will be demolished and replaced by a single steel, mono-slope roofed building, with specifications outlined by Barnard Architects.

The proposed amendment to the City's Usage Agreement with WGP would allocate $390,000.00 to WGP for the demolition and construction of the new maintenance building, and delineate responsibilities of the City and the Tenant for this project. Any additional costs above $390,000 will be covered at WGP’s expense under the agreement. 

At the end of the contract period or if at any time WGP ends the contract and vacates the property, the City of Savannah will retain the maintenance building as an ongoing asset to the Bacon Park Golf Course.

Approval