Ventura Considers Lining Up Study on Golf Course Plan

VENTURA —  With too many golfers and not enough greens, the city is considering hiring a consultant to look at a proposal for another golf course near the corner of Harbor Boulevard and Olivas Park Drive.

The study, which would cost $30,000 to $60,000, would also look at the most cost-effective way to give local golfers what they need. The City Council will take up the issue Monday night.

Among other things, the study would include an opinion survey of local golfers and an evaluation of existing facilities.

It would also examine the establishment of greens fees, rate structures and complimentary golfing privileges. The issue is timely because the city is embroiled in negotiations with Zeke Avila & Sons over whether to renew a contract to manage the city’s popular Olivas Park Golf Course.

After two months of negotiating, Avila and the city have reached an impasse. City officials now say that if Avila will not pay market-rate rents on its lease with the city, it may be sent packing come October.

“It’s a sensitive issue,” said city parks official Greg Gilmer. “There is a lot of money involved, and there are a lot of issues out there.”

Zeke Avila & Sons has managed Olivas Park Golf Course since 1982. The current golf course lease agreement with Avila expires Sept. 30.

Avila operates all aspects of the 18-hole Olivas Park course, except food concessions, and provides carts and operates the pro shop at the nearby Buenaventura Golf Course.

Since it took over management of the Olivas course, the number of rounds played has doubled to an average of 92,000 per year. A round of golf costs $18 for 18 holes on weekdays and $23 on weekends--about $2 more than the nearby Buenaventura Golf Course, also owned by the city.

Avila currently pays about 20% of its cart and greens fees in rents to the city under its lease agreement. The company also pays 27% of its driving range fees.

“At one time that was probably fair,” said director of management resources Marilyn Leuck, who sits on the city’s three-person negotiating team. “But the popularity of golf has changed dramatically over the years. It has become very competitive.”

She said rental rates at courses comparable to Olivas Park are about 40% of greens fees.

“The golf course is a facility established by the taxpayers,” Leuck said. “So we are duty bound to pursue something that looks like market rate.”

The city is currently offering to let Avila walk away from the Buenaventura course and pay 37% of fees in rents at Olivas Park Golf Course; or to pay 40% in rents at Olivas and 30% of cart rates at Buenaventura.

Former Mayor Tom Buford, who is negotiating with the city on behalf of Avila, says that is unacceptable.

“There is no hesitation on the part of the company,” he said. “That is simply not a deal that works.”

City officials say they feel confident they can find someone else who would jump at those terms.

“I would suspect that if the city conducted a proposal process we would have a number of competitive, interested parties to choose from,” Leuck said.

Buford warns that if Avila loses its contract, it will not take long for golfers to see the difference on the Olivas Park course.

“If you do what the city wants to do, you are either going to have to significantly increase greens fees or decrease the quality of maintenance,” he said.

He said that before long, golfers would begin to see sand traps that are not manicured, greens that have weeds growing in them and scraggly fairways. “Five years from now, we think, it will be apparent.”

The council will debate the issue in a closed session Monday. A final proposal should come up at the June 30 meeting.

The issue is sensitive because many city officials have ties to Avila.

Mayor Jack Tingstrom cannot take part in closed-door discussions because he is a consultant to Avila. Councilman Jim Friedman returned a $500 campaign check to Avila earlier this year so that he could participate in golf-related votes. Some others also received campaign contributions from Avila in the last election.

Councilman Steve Bennett, for one, wants to open it up for bidding.

“It will be interesting to see if the council caves and gives the contract to Avila without this going to a bid,” Bennett said. “Then the political payoffs Avila has made over the years will prove to be more profitable.”