CMU walks off tee of city golf course - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Carnegie Mellon University is quitting as the caretaker of Pittsburgh's only golf course.What is needed, above all else -- when this type of discussion begins -- is a PITTSBURGH PARK DISTRICT. We need park people, coaches, and users of all these assets to look at the landscape on more global ways.
The university has operated Schenley Park Golf Course since May 1993, but will allow its contract with the city to expire by May 2007 -- possibly sooner.
That means Mayor Bob O'Connor must find a new course manager or risk saddling the city with operating costs it would be hard-pressed to afford."
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CMU walks off tee of city golf course
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By Jeremy Boren
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Carnegie Mellon University is quitting as the caretaker of Pittsburgh's only golf course.
The university has operated Schenley Park Golf Course since May 1993, but will allow its contract with the city to expire by May 2007 -- possibly sooner.
That means Mayor Bob O'Connor must find a new course manager or risk saddling the city with operating costs it would be hard-pressed to afford.
"The mayor is going to find a new partner that will provide the type of service and recreation that the patrons of the course are looking for," O'Connor spokesman Dick Skrinjar said. "If you're a Pittsburgher and you play, you've been to Schenley."
Don Smith, CMU's economic development director, said the university has done its duty for the city and is ready to quit running the 4,620-yard course where golfers play about 23,000 rounds each year.
"Carnegie Mellon stepped in at a critical time almost 15 years ago, when the course was in jeopardy of being turned into park land, and preserved a century-old golf course," Smith said. "The city was losing $250,000 a year."
Today, the course is in better shape, physically and financially, Smith said. Since 2003, the university has spent nearly $1 million on upgrades, such as installation of an irrigation system, equipment and new tee boxes.
One reason CMU decided to relinquish its responsibility is that the university can't integrate it into its curriculum. CMU doesn't have a recreation management program or special expertise in golf operations.
It costs $450,000 to $500,000 a year to operate the course and its nonprofit programs, course Manager Bruce Stephen said.
The course generates about $200,000 a year from greens fees of $18 per round. Additional operating money comes from fundraisers and events, ranging from a hole-in-one contest to the annual Vintage Grand Prix in July.
"The course can basically break even" financially, said Smith, who also serves as a director of Schenley Golf Operating Corp. "If it's a rainy year or a particularly hot year, then we fall just a little short of breaking even."
One option for keeping the course open might be to create a new role for Schenley Golf Operating Corp., the nonprofit that currently oversees course operations on CMU's behalf.
The group, also known as The First Tee of Pittsburgh, is the local chapter of a national golf education charity. It collects money from greens fees, pays for maintenance and operations, and teaches golf to about 4,000 children a year through clinics and special professional golfer events. The First Tee of Pittsburgh could become a separate nonprofit later this year.
Stephen's for-profit company, Golfers Development Inc., was hired by Schenley Golf/First Tee to run the course. He was to be paid a salary of $84,000 a year, according to 2004 tax filings, but said he accepted a salary of $60,000 to ensure First Tee had enough to operate.
"We know the city can't help out financially," Stephen said. "We're a charity, so we would go and look for some help in generating resources, but continue to operate it as it has for the past 104 years."
Councilman Bill Peduto, whose district includes Schenley Park, said the city should avoid paying for course operations under any future agreement, particularly if the new manager doesn't want to repay the city from course revenue.
"There's absolutely no reason why this should be a net revenue loss for the city and taxpayers," Peduto said.
Pittsburgh's current lease with CMU says the city will not pay for operating costs or maintenance. But the city has earmarked $100,000 for the course in this year's capital budget.
Office of Management and Budget Director Scott Kunka said the money likely won't be spent. It's there to cover course operating costs if the city is unable to find a new manager by the time CMU's contract ends, he said. A final vote on the budget is scheduled for Tuesday.
Skrinjar said the operating costs won't fall to taxpayers.
"The city wants to be in the business of what a city does best, which is to provide a safe, clean city -- not a golf course."
Jeremy Boren can be reached at jboren@tribweb.com or (412) 765-2312.
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