CRESCENT BAR \u2014 Grant PUD commissioners are expected to decide at their Feb. 17 workshop whether to preserve the golf course on Crescent Bar Island or pursue redevelopment of the 46-acre site to accommodate expanded camping, disc golf, mini golf, or additional natural areas designed to attract a broader range of visitors.<\/p>\n
According to Grant PUD Lands and Recreation staff, preserving the existing golf course represents the lowest-cost option. If commissioners move forward with replacing the aging irrigation system, the estimated minimum capital cost would be $3.1 million. However, a consultant\u2019s analysis shows the course currently operates at an approximate $290,000 annual loss, with revenues and expenses not expected to break even.<\/p>\n
By comparison, redeveloping the course to support new amenities would cost an estimated $12.5 million to $28.4 million, based on a consultant\u2019s study. Still, lower-cost redevelopment alternatives may be available.<\/p>\n
Ross Hendrick, director of Environmental Affairs, and Lorie Butterly, manager of Recreation and Shoreline, told commissioners that the island\u2019s irrigation system would likely require repair or replacement regardless of which option is chosen. Replacement is estimated at $3.1 million. Commissioners have requested additional details about the system\u2019s components to develop a more precise cost estimate.<\/p>\n
Preserving the golf course is reportedly the preferred option among island residents. However, its long-term future remains uncertain beyond 2052, when Grant PUD\u2019s license to operate Priest Rapids and Wanapum dams expires.<\/p>\n
As part of the process to obtain a new federal license, Grant PUD would be required to demonstrate that its Recreation Resource Management Plan provides sufficient amenities to serve the broadest public use. Officials noted the utility would need to justify to federal dam oversight authorities that maintaining a golf course remains a necessary public amenity on Columbia River shoreline property.<\/p>\n
Commissioners Larry Schaapman and Nelson Cox said they favor keeping the course but suggested raising and standardizing green fees so that all golfers \u2014 both residents and visitors \u2014 pay the same rate.<\/p>\n
Commissioner Tom Flint, however, criticized the idea of continuing to operate the course at a loss.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat course shouldn\u2019t ever have been there to begin with, and we\u2019re kicking the can down the road,\u201d he said of the possibility of having to eventually remove the course, anyway.<\/p>\n
Flint also characterized the current operation as Grant PUD \u201csubsidizing very rich people to play golf.\u201d<\/p>\n
The commissioners are expected to continue discussions and may signal their preferred direction during the upcoming workshop.<\/p>\n
\n Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
\n <\/p>\n
\n Error! There was an error processing your request.
\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"CRESCENT BAR \u2014 Grant PUD commissioners are expected to decide at their Feb. 17 workshop whether to preserve…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":467935,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[71],"tags":[91156,217552,427,15226,55197,217553,217554,187122,99,103551],"class_list":{"0":"post-467934","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-golf","8":"tag-commissioners","9":"tag-crescent-bar","10":"tag-golf","11":"tag-golf-course","12":"tag-grant-county","13":"tag-grant-pud","14":"tag-public-utility","15":"tag-quincy","16":"tag-sports","17":"tag-workshop"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/467934","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=467934"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/467934\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/467935"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=467934"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=467934"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=467934"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}