KALAMAZOO, Mich. — During Monday night’s Kalamazoo City Commission meeting, the commissioners received an update from City Manager Jim Ritsema regarding the future of Eastern Hills Golf Course.
Eastern Hills is owned by the city of Kalamazoo but is located in Richland Township.
At its Nov. 6 meeting, the Board of Governors of the Kalamazoo Municipal Golf Association approved a motion to explore the possibility of selling the course.
Golf courses throughout Michigan have been faced with the same declining sales that the entire golf industry has seen in the past few years. After considering many factors such as the decline in the number of rounds played, declining revenue and ongoing expenses such as maintenance and debt, the Municipal Golf Association Board of Governors felt it best for the overall municipal golf program to investigate a sale.
The motion stated that all proceeds of any future sale would be used to pay off KMGA debt and fund future capital improvements at the city’s other courses — Milham Park and Red Arrow.
It is the express intention of the KMGA Board that Eastern Hills be open for the 2015 season. All commitments for 2015 play will be honored, including public golf, all league play and any and all outings.
The KMGA Board emphasized that it wanted to continue to have municipal golf thrive in the city for years to come at Milham Park and Red Arrow, including possible upgrades, and that the net proceeds from any possible sale of Eastern Hills would be used to fund those improvements.
No sale price has yet been set for Eastern Hills or a deadline for a possible sale.
