City To Chip $186,000 More At The Lossings

by The Editors on June 28, 2011

Thelossings-Tm-TmTonight when the Carlsbadistan City Council meets they will approve AB#20.610 or Improvements To The Crossings and Adjacent Open Space Erosion Mediation.

Apparently, City staff and Kemper Sports Management (the company that runs The Lossings, but can’t seem to do it at a profit) have decided (after paying a golf consultant to prepare a report) that improvements need to be made if the business is ever expected to prosper.

In order to increase “course playability” the city staff would like to spend $80,000 making the 18th hole easier. Apparently, people aren’t playing the course as much as they should because the 18th hole is just too difficult. City staff is also suggesting that $12,000 be spent to transform a “boardroom” into the clubhouse’s second bar. Apparently, the Canyons Bar and Restaurant (one of the more profitable pieces of the Lossing’s business in the past) is not the kind of establishment that keeps golfers around after their round.

But that’s not all. Thanks to heavy rain fall last winter (and the way the land has been artificially shaped for the course) city staff would also like an additional $106,000 for “open space remediation.” They’d like to “repair serious erosion” that created “crevices and brought silt onto city streets.”

Of course, money has already been set aside in the “Golf Course Capital Reserve Fund” for simplifying the 18th hole and building another bar, however, city staff would like to use money from the Capital Construction funds to pay for the erosion repair. And just like that another $200,000 is flushed down The Lossings.

Meanwhile, we still don’t have the Alga Norte Pool nor the skateboard park. Nice, huh?

[Update June 29, 2011: For the record the City Council unanimously approved the $106,000 erosion control funding and the $80,000 to simplify the 18th hole, however, they did not approve the $12,000 to create a “players club” because Farrah Douglas didn’t like the idea of using the boardroom as a temporary bar. She thinks the course needs something more luxurious and suggested maybe turning the pro shop into a new lounge. Council will discuss the new bar issue at a future time.]

[Link: City County Agenda and AB#20.610]

{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }

Constant Oberserver June 28, 2011 at 6:20 pm

Unless we get new leaders, this will continue…on and on and on and on. Bud Jr.(Hall) and the rest of the cronies up there will never get it. 200k could go a long way to help some other more worthy programs. How we continue to elect people that make mistake after mistake is beyond me.

Tim June 28, 2011 at 8:51 pm

I golf every other weekend, but refuse to play here. It’s just too expensive for it’s location. Nestled between main roads is not appealing to me. Id rather spend the $80 there for one round and play 2 or 3 rounds elsewhere for the same amount. Lower the greens fee and the public will come.. I’ve never played there and never will, unless I can play it for a reasonable price. It’s a shame, i’ve actually heard good things about it.

StraightShooter June 28, 2011 at 11:09 pm

Constant Oberserver, you are right – they’ll never get it. But then, the writing was on the wall when Matt Hall got elected. Keith Blackburn was the better choice by far.

Constant Oberserver June 29, 2011 at 12:05 am

You couldnt be more right StraightShooter. Everyone will see the writing soon enough if they already haven’t. Hopefully next year Blackburn will retain his council seat and someone like Wantz will take Kulchin’s seat after she steps down. Wake up Carlsbad!

Family Guy June 29, 2011 at 11:45 am

Of course they have plenty of money for the golf course. Remember Hall, Packard and others are playing Robin Hood. Let’s take away from the poor (general workers who are just getting by) and give it to the rich (management and special interest groups). The citizens need to research out the truth and not just listen to the campaign ads. They are the ones that are paying for this in the end.

Patrick June 30, 2011 at 2:16 pm

I’ve played the Crossings a few times. Is it terrible? No. But the green fees for a resident are too high to make it attractive. I’ll drive out of my way to play for a discount on a track that’s superior and costs half the price. I’m also a skateboarder, and am really disappointed the city of Carlsbad doesn’t have a modern skatepark to speak of. Today’s skatepark desingers and builders can turn even a small piece of land into a functional park with variety…that gets used. And for the record, I don’t mind paying to skate. I’m already giving my session fees to the Encinitas YMCA.

Resident July 2, 2011 at 8:33 pm

It’s amazing that Carlsbad School District is laying off teachers and increasing class size to over 35 students per class while we are subsidizing a golf course for millions of dollars. Perhaps our priorities are twisted?

Doc July 18, 2011 at 4:06 pm

This will always be a losing proposition. Locals can’t afford to play here, yet we paid tax dollars to build this monstrosity. Money would have been better spent on a great park and recreation area for the many children and adults in the area, rather than a specialized golf course that only a select few can afford to play.

I agrre with Patrick and others. Family recreation should have come first rather than the whims of long standing politicos. Now we have an albatross that will remain with us well into the seen, and unseen future.

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