Golf Course Plan in Huntington Beach
For those who say a golf course in Huntington Beach Central Park makes good economic sense, I say go over the facts presented by Lynn Shackelford of American Golf at the recent Town Hall meeting. How can he justify the claim that the city will make up to $1 million per year? Shackelford can’t. Meadowlark Golf Course, which has been operated by American Golf since 1974, has averaged $256,000 over the past three years, most of which goes to paying off a $150,000 mortgage.
Open space for the new course will cost the city dearly in park acquisition funds. Already the City Council has spent $3.4 million to purchase the “mushroom farm” property and will be spending millions more to acquire the “encyclopedia” lots. Various land swaps and maintenance deals with the county and state might cost millions more.
The economic concerns pale in comparison to Shackelford’s response to the prospect of a water shortage. Was he actually proposing we don’t have one, that we merely have to take water away from the farmers? Good idea, Mr. Shackelford; have us eat grass.
DEBBIE COOK
Huntington Beach
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