Kent residents show up to oppose city’s proposal to sell Riverbend Par 3 course

Kent city officials should tee up their idea to sell the Riverbend Par 3 golf course and send it into orbit.

That pretty much sums up the majority opinion of about two dozen residents who attended an open house Monday at the Riverbend Golf Complex to discuss the city’s proposal to sell the 20-acre, money-losing course.

Residents told city staff they want the 9-hole course to stay open, especially so kids can continue to have a place to play and learn the game as many now do through the First Tee of Greater Seattle and the Douglas Youth Development programs.

“We have a duty and responsibility to the young people in the community,” said Cathy Wagner, of Kent. “We are here to keep this golf course for the children who are our future.”

The Kent City Council asked staff to host an open house to get feedback about the idea to sell the par 3 course that came out of council retreats and committee meetings. Riverbend also includes an 18-hole course, driving range and merchandise shop that the city has no plans to sell.

Riverbend’s operating losses and a $2.25 million debt has caused city officials to look at ways to get the complex self-sustainable financially. The facility has lost nearly $1.4 million over the last four years, including $220,903 in 2012, according to city documents. The debt is owed to an inter-fund loan, money that the city borrowed from its water and fleet funds to help pay off the bond for the golf complex.

“The par 3 serves a great need and we’re not saying we want to get rid of it,” Parks Director Jeff Watling said to the group at the second of two open houses. “The par 3 is a potential revenue center but it has more challenges than the 18-hole course.”

Council President Dennis Higgins kick-started last year that the city needed to resolve the heavy financial losses at the golf complex. He said in an email after the open house, which he attended, that the city needs to take action because the current situation is not sustainable for three reasons.

“One, if the council determines that the golf enterprise cannot pay for itself as intended, then council needs to set an appropriate policy that recognizes reality,” Higgins said. “Two, under current circumstances, because it continues to run a deficit, the golf enterprise has no way to make much-needed re-investments to the facility. Eventually, the facility will fall into complete disrepair if the city doesn’t formulate a plan to deal with this issue.

“Three, the golf enterprise needs to make progress on repaying its debt, in order to restore the overall financial health and rating of the city. Under current circumstances this repayment is stalled.”

Residents at the meeting encourage the city to promote the course better in order to increase revenue. One idea included possibly charging for parking at the entire Riverbend complex.

Patrick Mullins, a physical education teacher at Star Lake Elemetary School up the West Hill from the course, said he brings students to play the course. He also coaches for First Tee, which has nearly 200 kids in the Riverbend program.

“If we lose this area, there’s not transportation for kids to go to Jefferson (in Seattle) or Bellevue,” Mullins said about other par 3 courses with First Tee programs. “Once it’s gone, it’s gone. You can’t replace a golf course.”

First Tee also offers a program of life skills through golf during P.E. classes to students at 29 Kent schools.

Another resident asked whether the city could change its policy to fund the Riverbend complex out of the general fund rather than require it to be self-sustaining.

Councilwoman Dana Ralph attended the meeting and responded that the council could make that change. But she cautioned that change might not help because many residents favor the general fund going to more basic city operations.

“If it’s in the general fund, you compete with streets, parks and police and it becomes even more of a balancing act,” Ralph said.

Residents also raised the issue of the city-owned ShoWare Center that has lost about $2 million since it opened in 2009 and how the city funds the arena. Watling said the ShoWare is set up similar to the golf complex as an enterprise fund that is expected to be self-sustaining.

The council agreed to set aside money in its annual capital budget fund each year to help cover the losses at the arena. That money could be used to help pay for improvements to city streets, facilities and other capital projects. City officials have looked at ways to try to stop the arena from losing money, including putting money up front to bring in concerts that would draw larger crowds.

After the open house, Higgins said the next step includes the council’s Parks and Human Services Committee going over ideas discussed at the open houses and figuring out what type of proposal to forward to the full council to resolve the financial problems at Riverbend.

There is no deadline set for a decision, Higgins said. But he hopes the council takes action by the end of the year.

“It is irresponsible to continue to muddle along as the city has been doing the past few years, and council needs to act,” Higgins said. “There are several options for taking action and that is why we are currently having this discussion.”

• Riverbend Golf Complex

(operating losses since 2008)

2012    $220,903

2011    $435,961

2010    $618,198

2009    $147,822

2008    $15,981