$23M in renovation costs??

It seems, from the few figures given, that Harding has been unable to pay back any of the principal used for the rennovation.  The article lightly glosses over the fact that the rennovation was almost 50% over budget for a total cost of $ 23.6 million.  This points to the simple possibility that if the project was on budget at $ 16.0 million then they would not be losing money.

It has been discussed here, with great civility, where did the $ 23.6 million go to rennovate Harding Park.

It would be interesting to know, and it is probably public record, what the scope of the project and what the original budget of $ 16 million was to pay for ... the course was overhauled, the driving range rebuild in a new location, new maintenance facilities, new maintenance equipment, the Fleming 9 rennovated, new parking lot and service roads and huge new clubhouse, restaurant, pro shop and offices.

I hope Les Claytor responds especially about the costs which he refused to discuss previously?

I started a thread a few months ago about using a real architect for this course and discussing the dirty politics that have destroyed this project so it shouldn't be any surprise.

The other losers are Sharp Park and Lincoln Park golf courses, the public golfers with increased green fees, the taxpayers who will have to pay the debt among others.

"According to Rose, the renovation of the 18-hole Harding and nine-hole Fleming golf courses at Harding Park, which began in 2002, wound up costing $23.6 million, which was $7.6 million, or 47 percent, over the original estimate of $16 million."

The main question which nobody will answer is exactly where did the $23.6 million go?   How much did the PGA tour architectural services receive?

I think I hear Gib sharpening his pencil.  

How did the course handle the recent storms?

$23.6 million??  Christ, how much did Shadow Creek cost to build?  I mean, they already had the land at Harding Park, so what the hell could they have done to spend that kind of money?  Does it have a clubhouse that rivals Mar-A-Lago in square footage or what?

If I remember correctly Cypress CG cost 9 million (1992 dollars). The course had 10 sump stations, 9 ponds, all the bulkheading for the ponds had to be earthquake proof; liquifaction of the soils was the problem, and they moved about 400,000 yards of dirt.

Dan King,

To  be fair, I think you have to seperate the normal operating budget from debt service.

Without debt service it appears that the operation makes money.

Going from 16,000,000 to 23,000,000 seems hard to imagine, but spending $ 16,000,000, absent acquisition costs, seems hard to imagine.

Joel Stewart,

Why wouldn't the financials be a matter of public record ?

How can the city NOT reveal the info ?

Do San Francisco and California have "Sunshine" laws ?

Tom, How much of that 105 mil was lawyers and engineers?
Besides, you were in the nieghborhood of 25% overbudget not 47.

A witch hunt is neccessary when accountability is so inherent in our sport. So, why don't municipalities call penalties on themselves?

Adam:

I don't know the detailed numbers, I really don't.  Even if I did, I couldn't share them in a public forum, because Sebonack is a privately owned project.

I just think Joel should not be making accusations about how much someone "enriched themselves" on a project without having the facts in print.  And, since neither Chris Grey nor Les Claytor would have negotiated the deal between the Tour and the city, I don't understand why their names keep getting dragged into it.

Jimbo:

Thanks for that link!  I'm going to read the whole thing, but the figure I saw on page 3 or 4 was pretty interesting -- the capital shortfall for the SF Park & Recreation Department's budget is $589 million!!!!

So they're actually doing pretty well with the golf course.