from Eric Iverson:
Tom,
I was noticing this evening the GCA thread on CommonGround and the construction costs involved. I also noticed that you mentioned posting a budget next week showing how quickly costs can escalate. I feel very strongly that what was produced at CommonGround at the time was as much blood as anyone has squeezed out of a turnip before or since. In addition to the budget outline, I thought it might be helpful to send you a brief fact sheet to help everyone understand how the money can vaporize on a project like this. I won't attempt to craft them into any sort of organized rebuttal, that's better left to you. Rather, just the random facts, do with them what you will.
Budget Highlights
- $250,000 to remediate compensatory volume from the landfill
- $55,000 extra to line the irrigation pond with pvc instead of clay, due to use of effluent water.
- $1.68 million in irrigation, tied to the highest prices ever paid for petroleum products in this country, during the summer of 2008, which affected all budget line items.
- $100,000 worth of demolition, excluding clearing , of which there was a fair amount. Old buildings, bridges, as well as golf course features, all of which had to be disposed of and the areas re-vegetated.
- $40,000 in mandatory tree mitigation from the City of Aurora.
- $135,000 for telemetry and mandatory delivery components required to receive effluent water from Denver Water.
- $50,000 for grading and topsoil to build the entire 2nd and 17th holes above grade, entirely from fill, a requirement to avoid uncovering the Air Force's dangerous unmentionables in those areas.
Facility Highlights
- Unlike a Mom and Pop operation in a small town, the entire objective of this project was to get as many people on the golf course as possible. High traffic and good pace of play means durable turf grass, and lots of it, which in Denver means adequate irrigation. The fairways are huge, the USGA greens average 7,000 sq. ft., mowed with triplexes. When the business model is based on the place being packed everyday, undercooking the infrastructure would have been a mistake. Since opening on May 20th, CommonGround is AVERAGING over 200 rounds per day, every day, seven days a week, and is holding up wonderfully. A new golf course with smaller greens, tees or fairways would likely be a mess.
- Convinced that the range is a money maker, the CGA decided to spend the money to have a double ended, fully irrigated range, more than 10 acres of turf. Something we wouldn't have spent that much money on.
- Last but not least, there are 27 holes of golf there. We did our best to build the kid's course cheaply, recycling greens mix from the old course, using old heads, etc, but that all still costs money. Not to mention the other irrigation costs, finishing, grassing, grow-in, etc. With a practice green for the kids, and a putting clock near #10 tee for 1st and 10th tee starts during a big event, all in, that's 31 greens on the property.
Hopefully you can point out that comparing construction budgets is not the Price is Right, rather producing good golf that fits the clients needs for the lowest amount possible.