One of the valley's largest developers would get vacant property, and Henderson would get its first municipal golf course under a land exchange that could be finalized within 60 days.
The trade involves Wildhorse Golf Club on Warm Springs Road, near Green Valley Parkway, an 18-hole course owned by Walters Golf and American Nevada Co., the developer behind the Green Valley, Seven Hills and Aliante master-planned communities.
Any land exchange would require City Council approval.
John Rinaldi, Henderson's manager of property management and redevelopment, said the city has been searching for a way to open a municipal golf course for years.
In 2002, the city commissioned a feasibility study that showed a municipal golf course would be a 'cash-positive' operation for the city, Rinaldi said.
One plan involved building a golf course at Whitney Mesa. Another involved building a course at the site of an old city landfill that closed in the 1970s and is in the midst of environmental restoration.
By taking over an existing course, the city can provide residents with golf at municipal rates 'without taxing additional water resources,' Rinaldi said.
The city is now in talks with three companies that are vying for the contract to manage the course. The goal is to offer rounds of golf for $30 to $50, said City Manager Philip Speight.
The city also hopes to ensure that no one ever tries to raze Wildhorse and replace it with residential development, something Speight said was talked about before Walters Golf and American Nevada bought the property. 'There was never anything formal submitted, but the rumors were out there and the neighbors were concerned,' Speight said.
Wildhorse has been closed since January, shortly after Walters Golf and American Nevada bought it from American Golf and launched several million dollars worth of renovations.
Rinaldi said six separate parcels of city-owned land, ranging in size from 18 to 46 acres, could be offered in trade for the roughly 138-acre golf course. 'There is not one single parcel of city-owned land that would equal the value of the golf course,' he said.
'It's going to be a value-for-value exchange,' Walters said, but he declined to reveal what his firm and American Nevada paid for the course or what its appraised value might be.
When Wildhorse reopens, Walters predicts it will quickly become a favorite municipal course among local golfers. 'I think it will be by far the nicest one in the valley. It will be in a league of its own,' he said.
Robin Nelson can't wait.
Nelson is a community college accounting professor and department chairwoman who lives in a condominium next to the course. Before it closed, she golfed there regularly and even drove the beverage cart and worked part time in the snack bar on weekends.
'Everybody's been anxious for it to reopen,' she said. 'My first reaction when I heard it would be a municipal course was, 'Oh no, we don't want it not to be taken care of.' Low greens fees sometimes mean less money for maintenance, but (the course) just looks wonderful. I'm very excited.'
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal (Nevada)
