Rackham Golf Course

**Dumpling** · May-18-18, 05:17 AM

This was the first time that the Rackham Golf Course
was proposed to be sold. It was, as Charlie Langton
noted at that time, to be sold to a developer who wanted
to put 400 houses on that land. HOWEVER there was
a DEED RESTRICTION placed on the property that the
golf course was strictly to be maintained as a public
golf course and remain in public hands.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2...potential-sale

**Dumpling** · May-18-18, 05:19 AM

The sale of Rackham Golf Course is still being considered:

https://patch.com/michigan/berkley/d...am-golf-course

**SammyS** · May-18-18, 07:39 AM

Could have sworn I read that Huntington Woods owns the property.
In any case, there will be staunch opposition from HW residents if the land is sold to developers for high density housing.

**Colombian Dan** · May-18-18, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by SammyS

Could have sworn I read that Huntington Woods owns the property.
In any case, there will be staunch opposition from HW residents if the land is sold to developers for high density housing.

High density, low income housing targeted to Detroit residents wanting to work in Oakland county because the mass transit isn't up to par...

**EastsideAl** · May-18-18, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by SammyS

Could have sworn I read that Huntington Woods owns the property.
In any case, there will be staunch opposition from HW residents if the land is sold to developers for high density housing.

The golf course is in Huntington Woods, but owned and operated by the City of Detroit. The bequest by the Rackham family, who left the course to Detroit, states that if the property is no longer used as a golf course its ownership will pass back to the Rackhams. That's the problem the city faces in selling the course. particularly if they want to sell it to potential developers.

**JBMcB** · May-18-18, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

That's the problem the city faces in selling the course. particularly if they want to sell it to potential developers.

The city already tried to sell the golf course to developers around 2008. Huntington Woods took them to court over the deed restriction and won. Not sure why the city thinks anything is different now. I'm somewhat surprised any developer would be interested, a bank wouldn't touch a mortgage on a deed-restricted parcel with a ten foot pole.

**SammyS** · May-18-18, 07:40 PM

What if the heirs regained possession and agreed to release the restrictions?

**ABetterDetroit** · May-18-18, 07:54 PM

If the golf courses can’t be operated at break even including capital improvements then Detroit should unload them one way or another.

The City of Detroit has no business subsidizing golf. It is a very expensive form of recreation. In fact it is nice they have a Mayor who understands that.

I wonder how much the taxpayers a city the size of Huntington Woods would actually feel about it if they have to pay something near market value for the land Rackham sits on. “Don’t play golf? Tough luck there! This thing needs a lot of work also, Let’s see here... How’s 15 mills sound? Might be more once we get into it some...”

http://www.hwmi.org/2017_HW_Budget_final.pdf

**JBMcB** · May-18-18, 08:28 PM

Originally Posted by ABetterDetroit

If the golf courses can’t be operated at break even including capital improvements then Detroit should unload them one way or another.

Lease the land out to a company that runs golf courses. That's what Troy did with it's municipal course. As long as it's making some kind of money, who cares? Detroit isn't going to get any money by selling the land, anyways.

**O3H** · May-18-18, 08:41 PM

Wonder if Robert Vargo just defaulted on that 1/2 Million $ water bill.

**ABetterDetroit** · May-18-18, 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by JBMcB

Lease the land out to a company that runs golf courses. That's what Troy did with it's municipal course. As long as it's making some kind of money, who cares? Detroit isn't going to get any money by selling the land, anyways.

It is a great way to go in munis. If you have a legal well or water source on property. If there isn’t one a golf management company will struggle if they are responsible for the water bill. That’s what has already happened in Detroit. H2O expenses are big issue. It is what the current management company haven’t been paying causing major headaches in the Detroit contract.

https://www.freep.com/story/news/loc...bill/82174540/

**JBMcB** · May-19-18, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by ABetterDetroit

H2O expenses are big issue. It is what the current management company haven’t been paying causing major headaches in the Detroit contract.

Wow that's... weird. So if the City of Detroit was running the golf course, would the DSWD threaten to shut off the water if the golf course couldn't pay it's bill? You'd think there'd be some kind of deal arranged.

**O3H** · May-19-18, 01:54 PM

Cut water to a golf course, it dies - 100's of acres of brown.

**masterblaster** · May-19-18, 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by ABetterDetroit

If the golf courses can’t be operated at break even including capital improvements then Detroit should unload them one way or another.

The City of Detroit has no business subsidizing golf. It is a very expensive form of recreation.

So there should be no municipal golf courses, just because golf is an expensive form of recreation?

**ABetterDetroit** · May-19-18, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by masterblaster

So there should be no municipal golf courses, just because golf is an expensive form of recreation?

A direct answer would be no but the reality is muni golf’s future doesn’t look that bright. Costs are rising and growth in the sport is stagnant at best.

Financial capability of the community supporting golf has to be a relevant consideration. What value does the municipality put on golf? A community with a higher concentration of retirees with disposable income would be willing to spend more on golf understandably. One with a lot of more important pressing needs for its residents maybe not so much.

40% of Detroit residents live in poverty. The city went bankrupt just a few years ago. Detroit owned golf courses have been losing money for years pre and post bankruptcy with virtually no capital improvements. Low bidding management companies have failed to even keep them breaking even.

Expecting Detroit to supply everything that the City of San Diego can do well isn’t reasonable. SD does not have a 40% poverty rate. That issue raises many much more important priorities than golf.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/ne...rses/99182690/

**O3H** · May-19-18, 10:43 PM

Perhaps some forget Pontiac has a municipal golf course.
Pontiac had severe financial hardship.
The City of Pontiac also had an insane water issue for residents.
https://www.michigan.org/property/po...al-golf-course

The catch - the golf course is on Crystal Lake - which connects to Sylvan - which connects to Cass and Orchard Lake. Plenty to pump from.

Maybe Vargo needs to go P3

Manoj Bhargava funds company to invest in water and energy deals.
The billionaire behind 5-Hour Energy
Bhargava is funding another private equity company,
Farmington Hills-based Oakland Energy and Water Ventures LLC,
which will invest up to $100 million in individual deals in
companies around the world that are focused on
energy conservation and water treatment.

**Dumpling** · May-19-18, 11:57 PM

The matter of the Detroit-owned golf courses came before Detroit
City Council in 2017. Two of the golf courses were protected
by deed restrictions, specifically Palmer and Rackham.

https://www.freep.com/story/news/loc...ses/469179001/

It was suggested by the City Council that the heirs needed
to be located to facilitate the return of these golf courses to
their respective families. If this took place the upkeep and water
bills would no longer be a financial problem for the City of Detroit.

**Dumpling** · May-20-18, 12:26 AM

Originally Posted by JBMcB

Wow that's... weird. So if the City of Detroit was running the golf course, would the DSWD threaten to shut off the water if the golf course couldn't pay it's bill? You'd think there'd be some kind of deal arranged.

The water used by the golf course is purchased by DWSD wholesale
from GLWA. The City of Detroit as such is not able to arrange for
special prices for favored customers as it might have been able to
do in the past.

**Dumpling** · May-20-18, 01:01 AM

The City of Huntington Woods did make a reasonable offer
to purchase Rackham Golf Course at the time its sale was first
being considered.

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/mi-court...s/1422951.html

"...plaintiff city of Huntington Woods, responding to the defendant's
RFP, authorized the submission of an offer to purchase the property,
with appurtenances, of $6.25 million."

As of 2017, Huntington Woods maintained a "Rackham Defense
Fund" [[though apparently commingled with the General Fund
as of 2013).

http://www.hwmi.org/final_combined_2..._optimized.pdf

This Comprehensive Annual Financial Report notes that the
Huntington Woods median household income was $115,025
as of 2014, with more than 95% of residents being homeowners.
$10 million for the purchase price plus the needed upgrades
for Rackham would work out to $3,000 to $5,000 per Huntington
Woods household. Notwithstanding the high poverty rate
among Detroiters, Huntington Woods households would mostly be
able to afford this if its residents truly wanted to have
Rackham as their municipal golf course.

**Jason** · May-20-18, 01:21 AM

I think it would make the most sense to let the zoo have Rackham Golf Course. They could use the space for animals that need large enclosures for their emotional well-being. They're confined by space, and a strong zoo is good for everyone. And I think if the Rackham family was contacted, letting the zoo use it seems very sensible, and it's in the original civic spirit even if it's not golf.

imo the golf resources should be concentrated into Palmer Park, to make one good golf course. In terms of accessibility, if you're in a car it doesn't take much longer to drive to Palmer Park, and if you're dependent on public transportation, both 7 Mile and Woodward are major bus routes. Most Detroiters could get there with one or zero transfers. I don't think golf is so important that we need to maintain a city wide golf system.

**gnome** · May-20-18, 07:20 AM

A golf course filters millions of gallons of rain runoff annually. A golf course filters carbon from the atmosphere.

Golf is just one thing a golf course does.

**O3H** · May-20-18, 12:01 PM

Gnome - are you completely off the rails ?

Golf’s Environmental Impact - It's an artificial man-made area !!!
- Pollution of ground water and surface water caused by
the use of pesticides, fertilizers, and other contaminants
- Degradation or loss of natural areas via intensively
managed landscapes and non-native plants
- Increased conflicts with wildlife, insects, birds/waterfowl

Golf courses involve people with money $$$$$$$$$$
Obviously they lobby, use PR, etc. to ""educate"" folks on
how wonderful, pristine, beautiful, clean, etc., etc. they are.

Did you know a Golf Course carries Liability Insurance
- exactly for the fact they have TOXIC chemicals on site,
with exposure to humans, ground water, wildlife. ???

**mwilbert** · May-20-18, 09:59 PM

The deed restriction means this is going to be a golf course unless you give it back to the Rackham heirs and they decide to make it something else. If the price of water is the problem, maybe they should stick to watering the greens and convert it to an unirrigated course. It would be a very different course, but it would use a lot less water.

**softailrider** · May-20-18, 10:11 PM

Originally Posted by Jason

I think it would make the most sense to let the zoo have Rackham Golf Course. They could use the space for animals that need large enclosures for their emotional well-being. They're confined by space, and a strong zoo is good for everyone. And I think if the Rackham family was contacted, letting the zoo use it seems very sensible, and it's in the original civic spirit even if it's not golf.

imo the golf resources should be concentrated into Palmer Park, to make one good golf course. In terms of accessibility, if you're in a car it doesn't take much longer to drive to Palmer Park, and if you're dependent on public transportation, both 7 Mile and Woodward are major bus routes. Most Detroiters could get there with one or zero transfers. I don't think golf is so important that we need to maintain a city wide golf system.

So you’re supposed to jump on the bus with your golf clubs and other gear and get to the course that way? I been playing golf since I was 8 years old, I don’t know anybody who takes a bus to any golf course.

**Jason** · May-20-18, 11:13 PM

Can't you rent clubs? I doubt many people who play golf don't have cars. But usually when people talk about [[re)moving neighborhood amenities the concern is raised about accessibility. In my post I said that it's not much further by car than any other golf course in the city, and if you need to you can still get there by bus. So accessibility shouldn't be a huge problem.

Frankly, keeping any of them open at all is being generous. One news article says that each of the golf courses needs millions of dollars just bring them into decent shape, and 18 million for "comprehensive upgrades" [[https://www.freep.com/story/news/loc...ses/470061002/). All this for a declining niche sport that's expensive to maintain. If something can be done to make it successful then great, but otherwise, golf isn't relevant to the recreation or quality of life of the vast majority of Detroiters.