ANAHEIM : Council to Discuss Golf Course Report

The City Council is scheduled Tuesday to discuss whether it should privatize the city’s two municipal golf courses, a proposal that one study said could boost city income by $500,000.

The council will not vote on the proposal Tuesday but will listen to a staff report on the benefits and consequences of leasing the Anaheim Hills and H.G. (Dad) Miller golf courses to a private company. The discussion is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. at City Hall.

The study, prepared by Economic Research Associates of Los Angeles, said the courses are well maintained and make a profit of $1.2 million annually with the current city-run operations. But it said the yearly profit could jump to $1.7 million if the courses are privatized.

The study also said the lease-holding company would be able to raise money from private investors to fund future improvements at the courses. The report also said a hybrid approach, in which the city would maintain control of the courses but hire an outside management firm to operate them, would boost profit to $1.5 million a year.

At Anaheim Hills recently, golfers approached about the idea were opposed to the privatization plan. “I could see where the city might want to do it to save money, but I think a private company would jack up the rates,” said Tim Newhard of Anaheim, who was hitting balls at the practice range. “They might make a few improvements, but the golfers would end up paying for them. . . . I’d hate to see it happen.”

Gary Sabourim, also of Anaheim, said he too thinks the green fees would go up if the city relinquished control of the course. “I can’t see anything that private guys can do that would be any better than what the city is doing here,” Sabourim said. “The city has made some improvements on the course and keeps it up nicely.”

Sabourim added that Anaheim Hills is “one of the few places where a regular guy can still afford to play. It’s a haven for the regular guy. If they turn it over to a private company, the rates are going to go up.”