Papago and ASU partnership...UPDATE on new Clubhouse

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Has been negotiated and will be presented to Phoenix City Council  for approval:

Under the agreement, ASU would create a non-profit golf foundation to manage Papago, covering all operating and capital expenses for Papago, the city’s third-oldest municipal course. The ASU Foundation also would have to build a new clubhouse at Papago within three years, or the agreement could be terminated.

The foundation would pay the city rent of $200,000 per year until it builds a clubhouse. After the clubhouse is completed, the rent would drop to $100,000 for the next three years, then increase to $200,000, or 20 percent of net revenue, whichever is greater. The city will still own Papago.

In exchange, the university would have naming rights to the new clubhouse and Papago would become home to the ASU men’s and women’s golf programs for team practices and up to two NCAA tournaments a year.

ASU also has agreed to continue to run Papago as a municipal golf course. That means it would charge Phoenix residents greens fees at rates already approved by the City Council and give residents access to half of tee times evenly distributed throughout the year.


The teams currently play at ASU Karsten Golf Course, which the university plans to close and redevelop...

http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/20130724asu-may-manage-city-golf-course.html?nclick_check=1

[Brent Hutto]

I played at Papago during a brief trip to Phoenix this spring and really enjoyed the course. Hopefully ASU's deep pockets will keep it operating and in good shape. In a sense I guess this is a bail-out of a good course from some iffy decisions over the past decade or so.

[Matthew Petersen]

Doak 0 or not, I like ASU's Karsten course and will be sad to see it go. But as that has seemed a foregone conclusion for some time, this seems like a pretty good partnership. The renovation work at Papago was really good (not that I don't have a few quibbles). I think there's plenty of course there to test college players, as well. It will be nice for the course to have a clubhouse again.

[David_Tepper]

Matthew P. -

What is happening to the ASU Karsten course? Is it closing?

DT

[Dave Givnish]

ASU was granted favorable tax treatment by AZ for a development zone near the golf course and on the site of the current baseball stadium. The baseball team will be moving over to the field opposite Papago.

The rumor earlier this year was that the golf team would keep the practice facility by Karsten and that much of the course would be developed.

The city pushed to issue the bonds for the original renovation deal. There was at least one bid that would have built the clubhouse and completed the restoration with privately borrowed funds. The city rejected that out of hand. Hopefully, they won't repeat that mistake.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

This has been in the works for 2 years:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,48513.0.html

ASU needs the golf and baseball land adjacent to campus for development: $$$$$$$$.   More dorms targeted for out of state students who pay more tuition, stores and restaurants who pay rent,etc.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

The deal has been approved and becomes effective July 1 :

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2014/05/12/phoenix-papago-golf-course-asu-pact/8987837/

[Dave Givnish]

Steve -

Were you surprised to see how much the round count dropped since the renovation? I know that they increased the fees, but to have it go from over 60k per year to about 35k per year on a muni is a pretty spectacular drop.

dave

[Matthew Petersen]

Steve -

Were you surprised to see how much the round count dropped since the renovation? I know that they increased the fees, but to have it go from over 60k per year to about 35k per year on a muni is a pretty spectacular drop.

dave

It certainly is surprising to me, if only because every time I have been at Papago post-renovation, I've fund the course to be doing good business, even on summer afternoons. And that was certainly not my usual experience prior to the reno. But small sample bias and all that.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Dave & Matt,

No doubt that rounds are down because of the initial price hike after AGA took over and the lack of a clubhouse. Perhaps the Men's Club membership is down. Some locals have mentioned to me that they prefer Aguila.

I think the tourist trade is way down. The course doesn't have the pizzaz and rep that it had or the facilities to attract groups/outings.

[Lynn_Shackelford]

I suspect rounds are down for the following reasons and more:

1.  The trailer concept isn't conducive to tournaments, groups, tourists.

2.  Golf isn't played as much as before the renovation.

3.  Men's club got so disgusted that it found other places to play.

4.  When you go through a renovation, it takes money and effort to get back the regulars.  Neither of much was spent.

5.  They charge the residents more than they used to for a product that is less than it use to be.

This is a common mistake in the business by people who think they know the business of golf but screw up municipal facilities on a regular basis.  They gave the community not what the customer wanted, but what they perceived to be a cool concept.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Arizona State and the City of Phoenix announced updated plans Tuesday for improvements at Papago Golf Course, including a main clubhouse and practice facility for ASU golf teams designed in part by former ASU golf star Phil Mickelson.
 


http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/asu/2017/02/14/asu-arizona-golf-community-foundation-begin-work-papago-golf-course/97902484/