There is an interesting development going on in Elmira, NY. Elmira runs one of the best public golf courses in the state if not the country. It was built in 1937 by the CCC and it was designed by Donald Ross, one of the premier course designers in the world. The Mark Twain Golf Course, as it is known, being considered for privatization or sale in order to close a $3million budget gap. The supporters say the course is a money loser. Those opposed to the sale dispute this but neither side can come up with the figures to support their position. Sound familiar? The course is about 6800 yards built on rolling hills with beautiful views of the Chemung Valley from it's upper tees. It is my original "home" course and I really love it. When I left Emira in 1977 a season pass was $90.00. I transferred to Buffalo and joined the Audubon course at $95.00 a year. The cost of a season pass at Mark Twain is now $700.00 and Audubon is +- $300.00. Granted Mark Twain is a much more beautiful course but still the price differences are startling. Some town councilmembers claim that they can sell the course and thereby finance their budget shortfall for the Police and Fire Depts. The city has a paid Fire Dept. The city is one of the most depressed areas in NYS. A few years back they thought they had their salvation with the building of a maximum security prison on the city's southside. The reasoning went that the prison's employees would bring an influx of property taxes. But the employees moved 6 miles south of the city to Penna. where the taxes were lower. Then in came the relatives of the prison inmates who settled into some of the more beautiful areas of the city. They trashed their rented homes, filed for welfare benefits and made Elmira a waystop for drugs flowing between upstate NY and NY city. So the city is trying to plug it's budget gap with a one shot deal to sell the golf course.
The full story is yet to play out. But it will be interesting.