District to draft plan to buy golf course

Boca’s City Council on Monday began taking steps to help the city’s parks district buy Ocean Breeze Golf Course.

After a nearly threehour meeting, three council members and the mayor directed city staff to draw up an agreement to help the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District buy the failed course. The district had previously asked the city for a loan in the form of a bond to buy the more than 200-acre property for $24 million.

“Not only is this preserving over 200 acres of green space, but it is also adding a golf course,” said Boca Mayor Susan Haynie.

Nearly 200 people turned out to the second joint meeting Monday between the city council and the district’s commission. Many were from the Boca Teeca neighborhood, which surrounds the dilapidated Ocean Breeze at 5801 NW Second Ave.

“It’s an eyesore now,” said resident Eric Leder.

Ocean Breeze Golf Club fell into disrepair after being closed last summer because of declining membership and revenue. Councilwoman Andrea O’Rourke, who has advocated for more park space in the city, said the city needed to act on the project.

“It’s not fair to drag this out,” O’Rourke said before asking to move forward with a decision.

At Monday’s meeting, the district showed council members a video of what Ocean Breeze could be: Black and white photos of the course’s current state were juxtaposed by colorful renderings of hotel poolsides, a state-of-the-art youth learning facility, new greenways and a sleek pro shop.

But before any money is dished out to the district from the city, Mayor Haynie said she wants to see an appraisal for the commercial portion of the property as well as the cost of renovations from the comparable Osprey Point course in West Boca. Like some opponents of the deal, she also said she’d like to see the $24 million reduced.

Once an agreement is drawn up for how the city will help with funding, council members will then have to approve it after the public gives their input.

The district would be buying Ocean Breeze from Lennar Homes LLC., which is under contract to buy it from a Wells Fargo Bank subsidiary named Redus El LLC. As a special taxing entity, the district receives funds from Boca residents as well as some in unincorporated areas.

District Executive Director Arthur Koski said the course would be able to generate about $1-2 million per year. The estimates are based on the course getting 75,000 rounds of golf per year at $50 per round. Upkeep was estimated at $2.2 million annually.

According to the contract so far, the district will fund an inspection of the property by June 30. As written, it also calls for a $2.4 million deposit with the deal being closed on or before Oct. 27.

The deal would include seven parcels of land that comprises the course as well as commercial property that houses an abandoned hotel building. Previous district estimates put a $9 million to $12 million price range on resurfacing the greenways, sand traps and other landscaping.

The district’s wish list also calls for a new pro shop and youth learning academy. Koski mentioned working with a private hotel company to make the course a destination facility.

“It may seem like a lot of money and it is,” Koski said to council members. “But what I can tell you is that in 20 years, it will seem like a bargain.”