New public country club is a win-win, Boca says

A recent Sun Sentinel news article and opinion piece were heavy on opinion and light on facts.

The city of Boca Raton will soon take over operation of a country club that was privately-owned and donated to the city. The Boca Country Club has only been available through paid memberships to the Boca Resort and Club, not to homeowners in the surrounding neighborhood, the Boca Golf and Tennis community (BGT). It includes an 18-hole golf course, tennis court, pool and other amenities. The city is prepared to make a significant long-term investment of over $7 million this year alone to upgrade the club and amenities and open them to the public, including residents of BGT who have never had access.

A small group of BGT residents who have or had expensive memberships with the Boca Resort and Club are understandably upset, as some amenities that were private (fitness center, saunas, indoor basketball, pool) will now be public or may not reopen. However, about 90% of the 960 homeowners in BGT who have never had access to the club will be able to use renovated amenities at resident rates — even though BGT homeowners are not city residents. We call that a win-win.

This complex project will be done in phases with golf the top priority. The city worked with the BGT homeowners’ association over the past year to understand the concerns and prioritize renovations, and we will continue that dialogue. We feel confident that the end result — the Boca Raton Golf & Racquet Club — a premier public facility with clubhouse, restaurant, 18-hole golf course and racquet center, will add tremendous value to the BGT neighborhood and provide new amenities for Boca residents.

Chrissy Gibson, Boca Raton

The writer is an assistant city manager in Boca Raton.