So here’s a dilemma. How do you raise rates at the Emporia Municipal Golf Course and encourage more people to play golf there at the same time?
Golf course staff and city leaders aren’t exactly sure of the answer but they will try a delicate balance of raising some rates to play golf while offering discounts at other times. The end goal is to reduce the amount of taxpayer subsidy to operate the course.
At a work session Wednesday, the Emporia City Commission gave the go ahead to raise the price for an adult annual pass from $600 to $630.
A senior annual will be $575, also a $30 increase. A junior annual pass will fall from $180 to $150.
Marcus Erkel, golf course club manager, said they only have three junior golfers with annual passes.
“Hopefully we’ll get more with the thought being that once they get older they will buy the adult annual pass,” he said.
A total of 152 people purchased annual passes this year, which brought in $76,550.
Commissioner Bobbie Agler suggested going up to $660 (a 10 percent hike) for adults but the other commissioners thought a 5 percent increase would be less likely to scare off potential buyers.
Commissioners have not made a decision about daily green fees, though what to do about it generated plenty of discussion Wednesday. For now, daily fees will be kept at $18 on weekdays and $20 on weekends.
Agler thought a $2 increase may be in order to bring in more revenue. He said golfers at $18 may be willing to golf for $20.
“If you don’t raise it you won’t have any opportunity to cover the inflation costs,” he said. “How can we sit here as a commission and realize that expenses are going to go up, but because play is down we are not going to try to recoup it with higher fees.”
Mark McAnarney, assistant city manager, said they will try to keep expenses down. He said he doesn’t know the magic number of how much to raise rates without losing business.
Last year the golf course had an operating subsidy of about $218,000. Through November of this year, the course has made $410,783 in revenue and spent $536,678 in expenses for a taxpayer subsidy of $125,895.
McAnarney said the goal has been to have the golf course be 80 percent self-sufficient with the city’s general fund picking up the remaining 20 percent. Most years they have made that 80 percent goal, though last year they did not because of some one-time equipment and maintenance expenses, he said.
Several other golf courses in the region offer less expensive rates during non-peak season, but play during the colder months is still full price at the Emporia course.
McAnarney said it may be a good idea for the commission to allow the golf course manager to have the ability to offer some specials. The city would track how often people take advantage of the discounts, he said.
Commission Kevin Nelson agreed, saying golfers can play at as nice or nicer golf courses elsewhere for less than Emporia this time of year.
“Our course is a bargain, but not in a downtime,” he said.
Erkel said the golf course advisory board wants to start offering a nine-hole rate. A number of people have requested it.
“We obviously don’t want to try to run anyone off, but our annuals have gone down the last few years,” Erkel said. “We understand that we need to try something to make up for the ones that we will be losing.”
The advisory board recommended $13 for nine holes to match its summer twilight rate. Commissioner Julie Johnson said perhaps both should be $12 on weekdays to entice more play.
Mayor Jim Kessler inquired about whether to give a discount to Emporia residents since they are the ones paying taxes to support the course.
Nelson and Johnson, however, said if the goal is to attract new golfers, having out-of-town residents pay more may be counterproductive.
reality (anonymous) says...
Makes sense, let those who buy annuals receive the only increase. Those who golf a handful of times per year pay the same. The people who are always out there, renting carts, frequenting the clubhouse for food and drink and whatever else pay more. Good plan guys. Oh, and to the Mayor, it scares me to believe that you may have really thought that upping the rates for people who do not live in city limits was a good idea. Make it cost more, that will bring in new folks. Give me a break.
December 9, 2010 at 1:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Joe (anonymous) says...
reality..
It is those who buy annuals that reap the true savings anyway. An adult only has to play 35 times per season for his annual to pay for itself. The senior has to play 32 times. The people I know that buy annuals easily play in excess of 60 times a year. If you can't see the savings in that, you are blind. If anything, an annual should cost much more.
December 9, 2010 at 5:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rene66801 (anonymous) says...
What are Erckel and Storch paid for a salary? 152 people in the entire town have annual memberships. Seems like a costly place to maintain. The commission raises the rates for annuals to attract more golfers! Does that really make sense? Each year the number of annuals has decreased so lets raise the rates. Why would you not lower the annuals hoping to attract more golfers or at least some of those golfers back?
December 9, 2010 at 7 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Wichitawings (anonymous) says...
I applaud the commission for lowering the junior rate. They should also lower the junior daily fee, if playing with a parent. If we do not get more juniors to start playing golf the user revenue will continue to drop, as the older mainstays are either not going to be able to continue to play (due to physical ability or death). To continue to raise fees is typical of a government who suggests raising taxes because of people not being around to pay taxes. Why do you think that more people are shopping out of town this holiday season????? (SALES TAXES!!)
December 9, 2010 at 10:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Wichitawings (anonymous) says...
Also is the commission going to raise the rates at the Water Park and Usage fees at the other parks and Zoo????
December 9, 2010 at 11:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )