Sunday, April 15, 2007

Golf Club owners researching land possibilities

By DMITRY RASHNITSOV, CAPE CORAL BREEZE

Both parties exchanged pleasantries, but a meeting between District 4 Councilmember Dolores Bertolini and Ryan Companies’ Kent Carlson this week did not produce any solutions concerning property that housed The Golf Club, Cape Coral’s first golf course.

“I was very encouraged because we had an open dialogue,” Bertolini said.

Carlson said his company hired a national marketing research company to do a market analysis to see what type of development would be successful in the area.

He said his company will not be reopening a golf course on the land because it is not economically feasible.

Carlson added that there have been no serious bidders coming in and discussing the property.

Also, Carlson and Bertolini confirmed that an asbestos study is going on in the clubhouse building, and there is a possibility that the facility may have to be torn down.

Bertolini said the current asking price for the site is $28 million, and the owners told her they would be willing to sell it for that amount.

Joe Mazurkiewicz Jr., a member of Save our Recreation, said tearing down the clubhouse is going to happen eventually, anyway.

“No I don’t see that as being a problem, any development that is going to include a golf course would include tearing down the existing clubhouse,” Mazurkiewicz said. “The way it sits right now it’s not financially feasible.”

The former mayor said a group could be put together to purchase the land and turn it into a profitable 18-hole golf course with amenities, but currently he has not heard of any proposals that are on the table.