Post by adamsmith on Apr 9, 2018 14:20:46 GMT
Colette and Eric,
Thank you for all of your effort in organizing this group and trying to keep the momentum going. I have not been able to make the past few meetings and I’m sure that you and the group have decided on a direction to go – particularly in the meeting with the two Board members on Friday, April 13. Despite my absence, I would like to give my thoughts in the event it helps define a path forward in the near term.
As is being discussed in our separate e-mail string, the Board is going to proceed with their RFP idea. This is being put together on the fly, with little lead time or thought, and is unlikely to be successful. As others have commented, the Board is clearly inclined to close the course for two reasons – the annual gap in operating cash flow and the impending capital investments.
These are the two areas that the LBCGA must be focused on in the near term. We must first help the Park District close the cash flow gap in 2018. For this, we need to know how we can work with Billy Casper Golf and the Board this year. It would be helpful to know exactly what the agreement between BCG and the PD is. For example, who sets memberships rates and parameters?
While the Board discussed raising greens fees in its last meeting, we also need to look at the membership structure. Perhaps it is too late to make adjustments to the existing memberships, so I would suggest creation of a different membership tier. My suggestion: A Stay the Course family membership tier where a family can golf after 2:00 on Friday, Saturday or Sunday for $1000. This would give all of those families who have voiced support for the course and a willingness to pay an option to do so. For individuals, perhaps it is discounted to $600. If we announce this type of program and few sign up (assuming it is properly marketed) then we know that the community funding for the course simply won’t materialize.
If this does take off, it would also serve as a basis for fund raising for future capital improvement needs. It would give us a mailing list of those in the community who are most interested in funding the future of the course.
We also need to begin identifying other fundraising opportunities both for the short term cash flow gap as well as long term capital investments. A key to all of this will be marketing of these efforts – we should ask on Friday whether the PD will embrace these efforts and market them, or whether we need to do all this on our own.
As I have mentioned to Colette, we should consider marching in the LB 4th of July parade to get our message out to the largest possible group.
All of the other suggestions (such as redesigning the course) need to come after these two areas of focus - closing the annual operating cash flow gap (beginning in 2018) and finding a path to raise funds for capital expenditures. If we do not give the Board hope on these two areas, they will not keep the course open after 2018.
Adam
(630-636-8617)
Thank you for all of your effort in organizing this group and trying to keep the momentum going. I have not been able to make the past few meetings and I’m sure that you and the group have decided on a direction to go – particularly in the meeting with the two Board members on Friday, April 13. Despite my absence, I would like to give my thoughts in the event it helps define a path forward in the near term.
As is being discussed in our separate e-mail string, the Board is going to proceed with their RFP idea. This is being put together on the fly, with little lead time or thought, and is unlikely to be successful. As others have commented, the Board is clearly inclined to close the course for two reasons – the annual gap in operating cash flow and the impending capital investments.
These are the two areas that the LBCGA must be focused on in the near term. We must first help the Park District close the cash flow gap in 2018. For this, we need to know how we can work with Billy Casper Golf and the Board this year. It would be helpful to know exactly what the agreement between BCG and the PD is. For example, who sets memberships rates and parameters?
While the Board discussed raising greens fees in its last meeting, we also need to look at the membership structure. Perhaps it is too late to make adjustments to the existing memberships, so I would suggest creation of a different membership tier. My suggestion: A Stay the Course family membership tier where a family can golf after 2:00 on Friday, Saturday or Sunday for $1000. This would give all of those families who have voiced support for the course and a willingness to pay an option to do so. For individuals, perhaps it is discounted to $600. If we announce this type of program and few sign up (assuming it is properly marketed) then we know that the community funding for the course simply won’t materialize.
If this does take off, it would also serve as a basis for fund raising for future capital improvement needs. It would give us a mailing list of those in the community who are most interested in funding the future of the course.
We also need to begin identifying other fundraising opportunities both for the short term cash flow gap as well as long term capital investments. A key to all of this will be marketing of these efforts – we should ask on Friday whether the PD will embrace these efforts and market them, or whether we need to do all this on our own.
As I have mentioned to Colette, we should consider marching in the LB 4th of July parade to get our message out to the largest possible group.
All of the other suggestions (such as redesigning the course) need to come after these two areas of focus - closing the annual operating cash flow gap (beginning in 2018) and finding a path to raise funds for capital expenditures. If we do not give the Board hope on these two areas, they will not keep the course open after 2018.
Adam
(630-636-8617)
