Edmond golf course closes
The Coffee Creek Golf Course in Edmond has been sold and is closed, leaving local residents and players upset.
EDMOND — The Coffee Creek Golf Course has been sold and closed after 26 years of operation in northwest Edmond. The sale leaves 15 employees without jobs and property owners in the nearby Coffee Creek housing addition upset.
“The unknown is what is killing everyone,” said Joe Pribble, a Coffee Creek homeowner whose property backs up to the fourth fairway. “Knowing nothing is scary.”
Andy McCormick, Coffee Creek Golf Course director of operations, said the golf course was shut down on Friday after the $1.25 million sale closed the day before.
The owners, Millennium Golf Properties, decided in December 2015 to sell the 181.9-acre property.
“Our partnership wanted to diversify for personal reasons,” said McCormick, one of the five Millennium partners. “It was not our intentions to sell it to someone who wanted to close the golf course.
“Once we started working with the buyer, we could tell he was leaning to closing the course.”
Details of the sale had not been filed with the Oklahoma County assessor’s office on Wednesday. The 2016 market value is listed on the assessor’s records at $2.8 million.
McCormick identified one of the new owners as Kyle Copeland, president of Oklahoma Millworks Inc. of Guthrie.
Copeland did not return The Oklahoman’s telephone calls.
McCormick said he had no idea what the new
owners plan to do with the property, but he, too, has heard rumors.
“I have worked with this course since 1991, and I am saddened it is going to close,” McCormick said. “If I was a homeowner, I wouldn’t be happy about it either.”
Kevin Wagner, Coffee Creek Golf Course manager, remained at his desk Tuesday, answering calls and emails about the close of the course that was a shock to many despite rumors a sale might be in the future.
Wagner said he has 30 days to clear out the 5,588-square-foot, twostory clubhouse and the rest of the buildings on the 18-hole course.
The golf course employs up to 25 people during the summer months, said Wagner, who said he doesn’t know what his future holds.
“It is very sad,” Wagner said. “I am just not sure. I will have to look at my options.”
Wagner said he loved his job and loved coming to work. He said he never felt like he was working because his job was always fun.
“A lot of people looked at Coffee Creek as a home and wanted to keep it that way,” Wagner said. “Homeowners are not just losing the course. It may change how their backyards look.”
Residents’ concerns
A group of 10 homeowners, some who said they would have gotten together the money to buy the golf course if they had known it was for sale, showed up at the city planning commission meeting Tuesday searching for answers about what is going to happen to the property at Kelly Avenue and Coffee Creek Road.
Nothing was on Tuesday’s agenda about Coffee Creek Golf Course, but the homeowners appeared before the planning commission under the agenda item new business.
Coffee Creek homeowners are planning a meeting at 2 p.m. Saturday at Faith Bible Church, 600 N Coltrane Road, to discuss a plan to fight whatever might replace the golf course.
No paperwork has been filed with the city, and city officials have not talked to the former or new owners about any plans for the property. They said they have gotten lots of calls.
“We are concerned about what is happening,” said Eric Holmes, who has lived in Coffee Creek for two months. “A lot of homes were built to feature the golf course.”
Cindy Daniel, a real estate agent whose property backs up to the 18th tee box, said, “This is going to destroy our property value. I was shocked when I heard about the sale. They had been doing a lot of work on moving the 18th tee box and putting down sod.”
The property owners had questions about zoning changes and what happens if the new owner does not maintain the golf course now that it is closed.
“They can’t have 10-foot-tall grass,” City Attorney Steve Murdock said. “They will have to keep it maintained.
“We can’t make them keep the golf course open, but they have to keep it maintained.”
Murdock assured the homeowners that all property owners within 300 feet of the golf course would be notified if a request for land-use change goes before the city. Signs about any such meetings also are posted on the property.
Planning commission Chairman Barry Moore explained the process if a change would be requested by the new owners.
“It is in the best interest to wait,” Moore said. “There will be a hell of lot of discussions and a hell of a lot of meetings. This isn’t something that is one and done.
“Be patient and the city will let you know when there is something.”