[1. Call to Order]
[00:00:27]
>>> WE DO NOT HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TONIGHT SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO CITIZENS COMMENTS. DO WE HAVE ANYTHING?
>> WELL, THIS IS GOING TO BE A GOLF-INTENSIVE MEETING. OKAY. THEN IF WE
[5.A. Presentation from the Golf Advisory Board.]
HAVE NO COMMENTS, WE WILL MOVE ON.FOR TONIGHT'S WORK SESSION, IF I GOT TO DO MY FIRST MEETING, THIS IS THE ONE TO DO IT, YOU GET A FRIENDLIER AUDIENCE, SO GLAD YOU GUYS ARE HERE.
TONE THE'S PRESENTATION FROM THE GOLF ADVISORY BOARD, WE HAVE CHAIR LARRY GLITZ, HAPPY TO SEE LARRY UP AND ABOUT, AND VICE CHAIR MARSHAL WILL BE PRESENTING TONIGHT. IF YOU WOULD, GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE YOU GUYS.
>> RICHARD FORD. GERALD -- AND I THINK THAT'S IT.
>> YOU WILL HEAR FROM THE PRESENTATION, THESE GUYS HAVE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB IN THE LAST YEAR OR TWO AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS PRESENTATION.
IT WILL BE NOTHING BUT SUNSHINE AND RAINBOWS.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND GO AHEAD AND START THE PRESENTATION. BRAD ASKED IF HE COULD STAND UP HERE TO READ THE SMALL PRINT.
>> ONE, A SMALL MIRACLE THAT I'M HERE. AFTER 69 DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL.
THE BIGGER MIRACLE IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT PICTURE, AND BRAD SAID IT TO ME IN THE HOSPITAL, I HAD COME TO SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS OF COMING TO MEETINGS, ADVISORY BOARD MEETINGS AND SAYING ARE WE EVER GOING TO HAVE ALL FOUR FOUNTAINS WORKING THAT YOU COULD SEE FROM THE CLUBHOUSE.
YOU DON'T KNOW HOW HAPPYHAPPY -- WHAT'S GOING ON. I SAID, FOUR FOUNTAINS? WHAT? WELL, THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL FOR HELPING US TO GET THOSE ALL WORKING. THE FEEL AT THE CLUBHOUSE, THAT WAS SO DIFFERENT. WE WILL TALK ABOUT OTHER THINGS. I WILL ALLOW BRAD BRAD MAKE THE PRESENTATION, BECAUSE, AGAIN, I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL, SO BRAD -- AND I WILL HAVE COMMENTS LATER ON WHEN HE FINISHES.
>> SO THE LAST TIME WE ACTUALLY WERE IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS AS A GROUP WAS MAY, A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. AT THAT TIME WE HAD A VERY SOMBER MESSAGE. WE WERE REALLY AFRAID THAT THE GOLF COURSE WAS IN REALLY BAD CONDITION AND WE WEREN'T SURE WE WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TURN ITIT AROUND. WITH A LOT OF HARD WORK FROM A LOT OF HARD- WORKING PEOPLE, AND I WISH I KNEW WHO TO THANK FOR TURNING THIS AROUND BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN A TOTALLY DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERE FROM WHEN WE PRESENTED TO YOU GUYS 18 MONTHS AGO TO WHERE WE ARE AT TODAY. TRULY AN AMAZING DIFFERENCE.
>> I DON'T WANT TO JUMP IN YOUR PRESENTATION, BUT I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE WHO FROM THE CITY HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS, AND NUMBER ONE IS DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, CHRIS -- LEADERSHIP, AND THE CITY MANAGER FOR SUPPORTING HIM.
WHAT CHRIS HAS DONE, IT NEEDS TO BE RECOGNIZED.
>> NO, THAT'S GREAT. ACTUALLY, WE MET THE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT TWO YEARS AGO.
MY FIRST INTRODUCTION TO DAVID WAS WE WERE THIS CLOSE TO LOSING THIS GOLF COURSE. WE WERE THAT BAD OF SHAPE, AND NOTHING HAPPENED FOR A WHILE BUT THEN JANUARY THINGS STARTED CHANGING WITH AMERICAN GOLF.
BY THE TIME WE GOT TO MAY WHEN WE DID OUR PRESENTATION, THINGS WERE STARTING TO LOOK A LITTLE BETTER. SO LET'S JUMP IN THE PRESENTATION. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO DO IS BRING A VISUAL CUE TO THIS BECAUSE IT'S VISUALLY DRAMATICALLY BETTER THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN.
FROM THE BEGINNING, THESE ARE THE POINTS WE ARE GOING TO
[00:05:06]
TOUCH, OUR PROGRESS, OUR GOALS, AND THE COMMUNITY ITSELF AND HOW IT'S INTEGRAL TO THE GOLF COURSE AND THE GOLF COURSE IS INTEGRAL TO THE COMMUNITY, AND THE LONG- RANGE MASTER PLAN. SO THE BOARD, WE GET TOGETHER ONCE A MONTH TO DISCUSS THINGS GOING ON WITH THE GOLF COURSE TO MAKE -- PASS ALONG DECISIONS THAT ARE, I GUESS, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE WOULD MAKE TO THE CITY COUNCIL ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE GOLF COURSE. THESE ARE MEMBERS THAT ARE PART OF THE BOARD.LARRY IS THE CHAIR, AND I'M THE VICE CHAIR, AND LARRY YOUNG AND BRENT WORNBECKER FOR THE NORMAL MEMBERS, AND THEN WE HAVE GIBBS AND MOORE.
A SPECIAL SHOUT- OUT, AND HE HAS DONE A GREAT JOB ON THESE PRESENTATIONS.
>> IT'S TO PROMOTE THE WATER VIEW GOLF COURSE HAS A DESTINATION IN THE CITY OF ROWLETT. IN THIS PRESENTATION, I WANT YOU GUYS TO START FEELING THE PRIDE OF THIS GOLF COURSE AND THIS COMMUNITY.
THIS GOLF COURSE, THE LAYOUT OF THE GOLF COURSE HAS ALWAYS BEEN FANTASTIC, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE DELIVERY OF THE PRODUCT WAS ALWAYS REALLY BAD. NOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
YOU ARE GOING TO GO SEE THIS IN THE PICTURES.
SHOULD BE A LOT OF PRIDE FROM THE CITY COUNCIL AND WHAT WE HAVE GOT IN OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE IT HAS REALLY MADE A DRAMATIC CHANGE.
SO THE GOLF COURSE COULD BE THE DIFFERENTIATOR TO OTHER SUBURBS.
THIS IS WHERE PRIDE COMES INTO PLAY.
CITY TO VISIT OUR GOLF COURSE BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT IT.
THERE ARE OTHER GOLF COURSES IN THE AREA, LIKE COWBOY CLUB, AND THIS GOLF COURSE IS ON ITS WAY TO BE THAT. OKAY? WE'RE NOT THERE BUT WE ARE GETTING THERE AND IT'S LOOKING REALLY GOOD. PROMOTE HEALTHY LIVING. CITY COUNCIL STATED THAT CITIZENS HAVE STATED THEY WANT OPEN SPACES AND AMENITIES ARE A PRIORITY.
THIS GOLF COURSE COVERS 220 ACRES, WHICH IS A HUGE PIECE OF PROPERTY ON OUR GOLF COURSE.
MOST GOLF COURSES ARE 90 TO 100 ACRES. WE ARE HUGE COMPARED TO MOST GOLF COURSES.
SO THE BOARD ACTS AS THE EYES AND EARS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR, SO WE GIVE YOU GUYS FEEDBACK AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE HERE TO DO TONIGHT. SO PROJECTS COMPLETED.
WE HAVE A LIST OF PROJECTS WE COMPLETED AND SOME THAT ARE STILL IN PROCESS. TREE CLEANUP ON THE COURSE, AND THE FAIRWAYS HAVE BEEN UPGRADED. CONCRETE AREAS AND TURF MATS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON THE DRIVING RANGE, AND THE CLUBHOUSE HAS BEEN UPGRADED, AND IMPROVEMENT WITH THE TEE BOXES ARE PROJECTS WE COMPLETED AND WE WILL VISUALLY KIND OF GO THROUGH THOSE. THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE, I MEAN, THE VISUAL THATTHAT GET ON THE GOLF COURSE RIGHT NOW, THE PONDS ARE CLEAN AND THE FOUNTAINS ARE RUNNING AND THE GRASS IS BEAUTIFUL, YOU KNOW. ALL THESE THINGS ARE COMING TOGETHER. SO PROJECT IS COMPLETED, AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PLACES WHERE THE TREES HAD GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE THEY WERE SHADOWING TEE BOXES AND GETTING CLOSE TO THE GREENS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, SO THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CLEANUP AROUND THE GOLF COURSE. THIS IS HOLE 10 WHERE THEY HAVE CLEANED UP. THESE TEE BOXES OVER HERE WERE SUFFERING A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE OF THE SHADE BEING CREATED BY THE SHADE TREES, SO THEY CLEANED THOSE OUT A LITTLE BIT SO WE GET A BETTER QUALITY OF GRASS NEAR THE TEE BOX. THE TIPPY GOAL IS A FANTASTIC PUTTING GREEN GRASS.
IT GROWS REALLY SLOWLY AND LAYS DOWN REALLY FLAT AND IS REALLY, REALLY SMOOTH. THIS IS HOLE 9 ON THE GOLF COURSE. IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, THAT RANGE
[00:10:01]
LOOKS AS SMOOTH AS IT CAN POSSIBLY BE, AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE. THAT GRASS IS FANTASTIC.PEOPLE THAT PLAY THAT GOLF COURSE ALL THE TIME, THEY WILL TELL YOU THE PUTTING SURFACE IS FANTASTIC RIGHT NOW. TIFF-119.
FAIRWAYS HAVE BEEN UPGRADED, AND THEY HAVE DONE FERTILIZATION, AND THEY DEFINED THE FAIRWAYS, AND THIS IS HOLE 18 STANDING IN THE FAIRWAY LOOKING AT THE GREEN AND THE FOUNTAINS IN THE BACKGROUND. I JUST CAUGHT THIS ON A REALLY NICE NIGHT WHEN WE HAD ALL THIS FIRE IN THE SKY AND SO FORTH.
YOU CAN SEE BY LOOKING AT THIS, IF YOU WERE BACKING UP TO THIS AS A HOMEOWNER, THIS IS BEAUTIFUL OPEN SPACE NOW, OKAY, INSTEAD OF JUST LOOKING LIKE IT'S BARELY THERE. YOU KNOW, NOW IT'S LUSH, IT'S GREEN, IT'S SMOOTH. THE LAKES ARE CLEAN.
THE FOUNTAINS ARE RUNNING. THE TRAPS ARE WHITE.
EVERYTHING IS JUST LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.
NOW, ARE WE PERFECT YET? NO. WE STILL HAVE WORK TO DO BUT WE ARE MAKING A LOT OF PROGRESS. THE HITTING AREA, THIS IS REALLY GOING TO HELP THE DRIVING RANGE A LOT BECAUSEBECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF WEAR AND TEAR IN THE SUMMERTIME ON THE DRIVING RANGE TEE AREA, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO GET THEM ON MATS AND OFF THE GRASS AND LET THE GRASS RECOVER.
BACK WHEN THE GOLF COURSES WERE IN THE FORT WORTH AREA, ALMOST EVERYBODY PUT IN CONCRETE TEES WITH MATS ON THEM.
WE NEVER HAD THOSE AND THOSE JUST HAVE BEEN PUT IN IN THE LAST YEAR, SO THAT'S A HUGE PLUS FOR US.
ALL RIGHT. CLUBHOUSE LANDSCAPE UPGRADES.
SO FOR THE WHOLE TIME I HAVE LIVED IN WATER VIEW, WHICH IS 20 YEARS, THE GOLF COURSE NEVER LOOKED LIKE IT BELONGED IN THE COMMUNITY, AND IT WAS NOT WELL- TAKEN CARE OF AND THE GRASS WAS DEAD AND TREES WERE OVERGROWN.
IT ALWAYS LOOKED BAD. NOW YOU PULL UP TO THE CLUBHOUSE AND IT LOOKS NICE. IT'S REALLY PRESENTABLE.
YOU CAN'T SEE IT IN THE PICTURE, BUT THEY HAVE GOT FLOWER FLOWER ALONG THE SIDEWALK, AND YOU DRIVE UP AND THEY HAVE FLOWERS AND PLANTS AND STUFF IN THEM. VERY APPEALING WHEN YOU DRIVE UP.
I'M NOT ON FACEBOOK, AND MY WIFE IS ON FACEBOOK ALL THE TIME. THERE WAS ALWAYS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE CLUBHOUSE. NOW PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO SAY GOOD THINGS ABOUT THE CLUBHOUSE, YOU KNOW, HOW GOOD IT LOOKS. THEY RE- SODDED EVERYTHING, AND A LOT OF PROGRESS IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA THAT THAT .
CHRIS CAN TELL YOU ABOUT THE LAKE TREATMENT PROGRAM.
I PLAYED IN THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TOURNAMENT FOUR WEEKS AGO, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS LOOKING AT AS I WAS GOING AROUND THE GOLF COURSE IS EVERY FOUNTAIN ON THE GOLF COURSE WAS WORKING, ALL AT THE SAME TIME, ALL ON THE SAME DAY.
THAT MAKES A LOT OF DIFFERENCE IN THE WATER QUALITY AND CLARITY. THE NEXT STEP IS GOING TO BE -- WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT WE WILL TALK ABOUT IT TOMORROW, BUT RECIRCULATING THE PONDS.
AS WE GET INTO NEXT YEAR AND HAVE MORE MONEY TO WORK WITH, WE WILL START RECIRCULATING THE PONDS AND I BELIEVE THAT WILL MAKE THE WATER EVEN CLEARER. THAT WILL BE A HUGE PLUS WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO DO THAT. THIS IS STANDING ON THE 10 TEE BOX LOOKING BACK AT THE CLUBHOUSE. AND THAT WAS THE LAKE TREATMENT PROGRAM. THE FOUNTAIN REPAIR, SAME THING. LARRY WAS SO HAPPY FOR ALL FOUR OF THE FOUNTAINS. THIS IS A REALLY MEANINGFUL THING, BECAUSE WHEN YOU WALK OUT OF THE CLUBHOUSE AND GO TO GET IN YOUR CAR, YOU HEAR WATER MOVING. THAT'S SUCH A SOOTHING, CALMING THING, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY OUT ON A GOLF COURSE LIKE THIS. AS PEOPLE GO AROUND A GOLF COURSE AND THEY ARE PLAYING, YOU HEAR WATER FLOWING, YOU KNOW.
IT'S GREAT FOR THE HOMEOWNERS, TOO.
BECAUSE THEY CAN SIT IN THEIR BACKYARD AND HEAR THAT WATER FLOWING, AND IT'S A CALMING THING. IT HAS REALLY BEEN FANTASTIC.
IMPROVEMENT OF THE TEE BOXES. THIS IS ON HOLE NUMBER 7 LOOKING TOWARDS THE GREEN. THIS IS A VERY, VERY BACK TEE BOX THAT WE KIND OF BUILT EXTRA THAT I WAS STANDING ON AND IT'S UP ON A HIGH HILL AND LOOKS
[00:15:03]
DOWN THE FAIRWAY ALONG POLE NUMBER 7. JUST REALLY NICE.THE TEE BOXES, AS YOU CAN SEE THE TEE BOXES ARE ALL IN GREAT SHAPE.
THERE ARE STILL A FEW THIN AND WEAK, BUT THEY ARE WORKING ON IT AND MAKING PROGRESS WITH IT. I LIVE REALLY CLOSE, AND THAT'S MY UTOPIA, SITTING ON MY BACK PAD PATIO, AND GOLFERS ALWAYS SEE ME OUT THERE SITTING THERE. IF I'M NOT PLAYING I WILL BE BACK ON THE PATIO ENJOYING THE OPEN SPACE. REALLY ENJOYING THIS.
SO THINGS WE NEED TO BE WORKING ON.
LOTS OF IRRIGATION PROBLEMS ON THAT GOLF COURSE.
I DON'T THINK I HAVE A SECOND PICTURE OF THAT.
YEAH. BUT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH -- I THINK THERE WAS A PARTIAL AUDIT OF SANDY QUEEN, AND THERE ARE 2200 -- 2200 SPRINKLER HEADS ON THAT GOLF COURSE. THAT'S A LOT FOR ANY GOLF COURSE. FOR ANY GOLF COURSE, THAT'S A LOT. I THINK THEY GOT THROUGH PART OF THE AUDIT, AND IRRIGATION IS SOMETHING THEY ARE WORKING ON ALL THE TIME.
WITH THE SOIL THAT WE GOT AROUND HERE WITH THE EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION OF THE SOIL, WE HAVE BREAKS IN THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM ALL THE TIME.
WORKING THROUGH THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO FIND BETTER WAYS TO DO IT, AND CREATE FLEXIBILITY IN THE SYSTEM SO IT DOESN'T BREAK ALL THE TIME, AND WE WILL HAVE TO WORK OUR WAY THROUGH THAT. CLEANUP THE GOLF COURSE TRAPS. JUST WITHIN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THEY HAVE GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE THESE EDGES OF THESE TRAPS SHOULD BE REALLY SHARP AND SMOOTH, AND REALLY SHOULD BE A DIFFERENTIATING LINE BETWEEN THAT AND THE WHITE SAND.
WHITE SAND TRAPS ARE WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS. AND WE HAVE GOT WHITE SAND TRAPS. THE GUYS ARE GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE THEY ARE REALLY GETTING THE SHARP EDGES ON THOSE.
THEY HAVE IMPROVED -- JUST THESE TWO TRAPS IMPROVED DRAMATICALLY IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
THEY ARE GETTING THAT DOWN BETTER AND BETTER ALL THE TIME.
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WHERE WE'RE GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE A LOT OF THE BIG THINGS HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF, AND WE ARE STARTING TO LOOK AT THE DETAILS, OKAY? THE DETAILS ARE WHERE YOU REALLY SET THE STANDARD IN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOU AND OTHER GOLF COURSES, AND A LOT OF THE GOLF COURSES AROUND THE AREA HAVE GPS MANAGEMENT OF THE CARTS THEMSELVES. WHAT THAT ALLOWS YOU TO DO IS YOU CAN SET UP A PLACE WHERE YOU DON'T WANT THE CARTS TO GO, SO YOU KEEP PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE GREENS, AWAY FROM THE TRAPS, AWAY FROM THE TEE BOXES WHERE YOU CREATE A LOT OF DAMAGE WITH CARTS. THIS CART IS SITTING RIGHT NEXT TO A GREEN, WHICH IT SHOULD NOT BE ANYWHERE IN THAT AREA AT ALL. SO THEY HAVE -- THIS GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM -- OR GOLF CART MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, THERE'S NOT A SCREEN, AND THERE'S A GPS UNDER THERE AND YOU PUT UP FENCES WHERE YOU DON'T WANT THE CARTS TO GO, AND IF THE CART GOES IN THAT AREA IT STARTS BEEPING AND IT WILL STOP AND MAKE YOU BACK UP TO KEEP YOU FROM GOING IN THAT AREA. GOLF CART ETIQUETTE IS KIND OF AA AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT GOLF CART ETIQUETTE IS, AND THAT KIND OF FORCES IT. THIS IS SOMETHING WE ARE LOOKING AT IN THE FUTURE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD DIFFERENTIATE US BECAUSE THOSE AREAS WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF AS WELL.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE GREEN JUST TO THE RIGHT OF THAT.
THAT GOLF CART SHOULD NOT BE ANYWHERE CLOSE TO THERE.
ALL RIGHT, SO GOLF COURSE REVENUES.
WHEN I FIRST STARTED GOLFING, GOLF COURSE REVENUES WAS $1. 4 MILLION A YEAR, AND THAT WAS 20 YEARS AGO. TODAY WE ARE UP TO 2. 55 MILLION, AND THEY THINK WE WILL CROSS $3 MILLION THIS YEAR, 2025. THAT'S A JUMP. WE HAVE BEEN AVERAGING BETWEEN 40 TO 45,000 ROUNDS FOR THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS, SO THIS IS PRETTY MUCH INTACT WITH, YOU KNOW, WHAT THIS GOLF COURSE
[00:20:01]
WILL SUPPORT AS FAR AS NUMBER OF ROUNDS. YOU START GETTING WAY ABOVE THAT AND YOU ARE PUTTING A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE GOLF COURSE ITSELF, SO YOU HAVE TO MAKE YOUR MONEY SOMEWHERE IN THAT 40,000- ROUND RANGE, UNLESS YOU JUST OWN A GOLF COURSE THEY CAN BEAT.41 TOURNAMENTS IN 2024, AND PAVILION RENTALS, 21,000, AND THAT'S CHRISTMAS PARTIES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
OUR GOALS. CONTINUE TO ENSURE THE COMPLIANCE OF EXHIBIT F, AND THOSE ARE THE DETAILS THAT AMERICAN GOLF IS SUPPOSED TO MANAGE AND MAINTAIN ON THE GOLF COURSE. IF YOU HAVE NOT HEARD OF EXHIBIT F, YOU PROBABLY WILL IN THE NOT-TOO-DISTANT-FUTURE. AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EXHIBIT F, DEVELOP GUIDELINES FOR CITY MAINTENANCE PROJECTS, AND RECOMMEND MAINTENANCE PROJECTS FUNDED BY OWLETT.
WE PUT A LITTLE MONEY IN AND AMERICAN GOLF PUT A LITTLE MONEY IN, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THE DRIVING RANGE MATS WERE PART OF SOMETHING -- A DEAL LIKE THAT.
>> ARE YOU GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE LARGER DRIVING RANGE PROJECT WE FUNDED -- CITY COUNCIL PUT UP
$50,000? >> THAT'S NOT ON THE PRESENTATION, BUT YOU CAN --
>> YEAH, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK IN THE BUDGET SESSION THAT WE EARMARKED $50,000 SPECIFICALLY FOR THE DRIVING RANGE UPGRADES. THE FIRST PART OF IT WAS GETTING THE MATS IN. I THINK AMERICAN GOLF KIND OF DID THAT TO BEGIN WITH, BUT THIS IS PART OF A MUCH LARGER RENOVATION OF THE ENTIRE PRACTICE COMPLEX. ONE OF THE DRIVERS -- ONE OF THE REVENUE DRIVERS THAT WE HAVE BEEN MISSING, QUITE HONESTLY, WE JUST HAD A TERRIBLE DRIVING RANGE. PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT TO USE IT. THEY WOULDN'T JOIN.
WE HAD THE PLAYERS' CLUB, WHICH THEY SPENT $50 A MONTH FOR CITIZENS, ROUGHLY, AND PART OF THAT, YOU GET FREE RANGE BALLS.
IF YOU ARE GOING TO HIT RANGE BALLS AT $12 A BUCKET, DOESN'T TAKE LONG TO MAKE IT UP.
BUT THE DRIVING RANGE WAS IN SUCH HORRIBLE SHAPE, NOBODY WANTED TO BE PART OF IT AND WOULD GO SOMEPLACE ELSE TO HIT BALLS. WE PUT UP 50,000, AND LAST I HEARD AMERICAN GOLF WAS GOING TO BE PRETTY CLOSE TO MATCHING IT. I WOULDN'T CALL IT -- IT'S MORE OF A BUILD FIRM, A DESIGN FIRM.
WE'RE NOT REALLY SITTING WITH AN ARCHITECT, BUT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO, IT WILL BE GOING IN AND RELEVELING IT AND PUTTING MOUNDING IN THERE.
ANY OF YOU THAT PLAY GOLF, HAVING TARGETS OUT THERE, HAVING DISTANCES AS YOU ARE PRACTICING IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND IT'S SOMETHING WE DON'T HAVE, OUR DRIVING RANGE IS SO HUH RIFF HORRIFIC, YOU CAN USE SOMETHING TO PICK THEM UP. THIS IS MONEY WE ARE GOING TO BE PUTTING IN TO DRIVE REVENUES. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY DIRECTLY RELATED TO PRODUCE USE OF THE DRIVING RANGE, AND ALL- WEATHER DRIVING RANGE AND IT'S WORTH NOTICING.
AGAIN, IT'S SOMETHING THIS BODY VOTED ON, AND IF YOU WONDERED ABOUT THAT MONEY, IT'S GOING TO BE GOING TO THIS PROJECT, AND IT'S IN PLAY AND THEY WILL BE WORKING ON IT THROUGH THE WINTER AND HOPEFULLY THEY WILL GET THE GRASS WILL BE READY TO GO. JUST KNOW THAT THAT WAS A FAIRLY MAJOR -- MAJOR IMPROVEMENT THAT WE MADE, SO.
>> ON AVERAGE, HOW MANY PEOPLE COME OUT THERE AND AND RANGE BALLS AND LEAVE?
>> WELL, NOT AS MANY AS THERE SHOULD BE AT OUR PARTICULAR GOLF COURSE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE CALLED RANGE RATS AND THEY GO OUT AND HIT RANGE BALLS ALL THE TIME. OUR TEE BOX ON THE RANGE WAS SO BAD, IT WAS NOT A PLEASANT PLACE TO GO OUT AND HIT GOLF BALLS, SO THAT'S WHY THEY PUT THE CONCRETE AND THE MATS. LIKE HE SAID, IT COULD BE A TREMENDOUS REVENUE GENERATOR, BECAUSE IF YOU GET A THOUSAND PEOPLE JOINING THE PLAYERS CLUB AT $50 A MONTH, YOU KNOW, YOU START GENERATING SOME
[00:25:04]
REVENUE REALLY QUICK.>> IT'S ANNUITY TYPE OF PAYMENT.
THEY GET DISCOUNTS ON THEIR GREEN FEES. I'M ASSUMING SOME OF YOU GUYS ON THE MARSHES, MAYBE YOU HAVE AN IDEA, 300, 400 A DAY?
>> ON ANY SATURDAY OR SUNDAY WITH THE SUN SHINING AND NICE WEATHER, THERE'S -- I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY THE NUMBER OF SLOTS THEY HAVE ON THE NEW PADS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
THEY ARE FULL. A GOLFER WILL COME AND HE WILL WANT TO WARM UP A LITTLE BIT, AND THEY WILL BUY THE $20 GOLF -- BUCKET OF BALLS AND GO OUT THERE.
>> IT'S IN THE HUNDREDS. IT'S IN THE
HUNDREDS. >> YOU SEE IT AS A REVENUE, AND THE ONLY THING I WORRIED ABOUT AND AS LONG AS IT'S BEING MANAGED WELL, THE OVER USE OF THE DRIVING RANGE, AND THEY USED IT WHEN THEY PROBABLY SHOULDN'T, WET AND ALL KINDS OF STUFF.
>> THIS GIVES THEM THE FLEXIBILITY, WITH THE CONCRETE AND THE PADS OUT THERE, IT GIVES THEM THE FLEXIBILITY TO TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF THE EE AREA ITSELF, AND THEN HELP --
>> GOLFERS PREFER GRASS TEES. IT HAS TO BE THREE OR FOUR ACRES OF TURF, AND IT HAS BEEN IN SUCH MISERABLE SHAPE FOR SO LONG, AND WE ARE DRIVING THAT BACK IN. THE ACTUAL DRIVING RANGE ITSELF, IT'S JUST SO -- I MEAN, IT'S -- IT'S JUST A PASTURE, QUITE HONESTLY, AND IT'S NOT EVEN A GOOD PASTURE.
SO YOU KNOW, HAVING GOOD TURF OUT THERE WOULD BE VISUALLY MORE APPEALING AND HAVING GOOD TARGETS OUT THERE WITH RANGE. THAT'S WHAT GOLFERS WANT, YOU ARE SITTING THERE AND THEY ARE PRACTICING, AND YOU WANT TO KNOW, THERE'S A MARKER OUT THERE THAT SAYS 150, AND NOW YOU CAN THINK AND DIAL IT IN.
THAT'S IMPORTANT. WE JUST DON'T HAVE ANY OF THAT.
IT'S VISUALLY UNAPPEALING AND DOESN'T WORK, AND ALL THESE THINGS TOGETHER --
>> HOPEFULLY BY THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, WE WILL TALK ABOUT HOW GOOD --
>> YEAH, AND HOW MUCH IT INCREASED IN REVENUE.
>> I THINK IT'S A REVENUE MAKER FOR SURE. THEM COMING OUT AND DOING THAT AND LEAVING, THAT'S QUICK MONEY.
>> SO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY INTERESTED IN THE WORKING GOLF CLUB, OBVIOUSLY THE CITY AND STAFF, AND THE GOLF ADVISORY BOARD, AND THE HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION -- WE ARE HAVING A MEETING WEDNESDAY NIGHT, THE HOA, AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IS WE ARE A GOLF COURSE COMMUNITY AND WE NEED TO EMBRACE THAT. IT'S INTEGRAL TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE ARE INTEGRAL TO IT.
WE HAVE GOT TO PUT THAT TOGETHER.
CONSULTANT SANDY QUEEN HAS BEEN WORKING WITH US FOR A LONG TIME, AND AMERICAN GOLF IS OUR VENDOR, ACTUALLY RUNNING THE GOLF COURSE FOR US. THAT'S THE TEAM OF PLAYERS THAT ARE ACTUALLY INTERESTED IN THE ROWLETT GOLF CLUB.
WE TALKED ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THE GOLF COURSE IS TO THE HOA, AND WATER VIEW -- WASN'T IT 725 ACRES? I THOUGHT IT WAS 600 ACRES?
>> THEY ADDEDADDED IT LATER ON.
>> AND THEN BACK IN LATE 1990S AND EARLY 2000S, THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE. I REALLY LOVE LIVING THERE.
WE HAVE GOT A GREAT COMMUNITY. WE HAD A BLOCK PARTY THIS WEEKEND. YOU KNOW, JUST A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOWING PEOPLE, YOU KNOW. THAT, REALLY -- IT WAS THERE ALL ALONG AND ONCE COVID HAPPENED AND CAME OUT OF THEIR HOUSE AND WAS WALKING AND SO FORTH, IT BECAME A TIGHT- KNIT COMMUNITY AFTER THAT.
IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO BE. LIKE I SAID, IT'S INTEGRAL TO THE GOLF CLUB. SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE GOLF COURSE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A MAP THAT WE HAD DONE WITH THIS LAST TIME.
THAT'S A PLAT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND YOU CAN SEE HOW THE GOLF COURSE IS WINDING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD. 522 HOMES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BACK UP TO THE GOLF COURSE. I DON'T KNOW HOW NORTHEAST DID THAT, BUT THAT'S A MIRACULOUS NUMBER OF THE HOMES THAT ACTUALLY BACK UP TO THE GOLF COURSE. SO THE AVERAGE PROPERTY VALUE WHEN WE DID THIS SLIDE LAST
[00:30:03]
YEAR WAS 600 -- TOTAL PROPERTY VALUE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS $600 MILLION, AND THE AVERAGE PRICE FOR A HOME WAS 350,000. SO THE TAX INCOME FROM WATERVIEW ALONE WAS -- THEIR PROPERTY VALUE WHEN THAT HAPPENED. SO THAT WAS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER.SO WE DON'T EVER WANT, YOU KNOW, THAT TO HAPPEN TO WATERVIEW. YOU KNOW, THERE IS A REASON FROM A REVENUE STANDPOINT WE DON'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN, NOT ONLY FOR THE HOMEOWNERS, BUT FOR THE CITY ITSELF.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IF WE INVEST IN THE WATERVIEW GOLF CLUB? THIS IS A TERM LARRY HAS BEEN USING FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
ANYBODY THAT EVER SAT AND LISTENED TO LARRY ABOUT THE GOLF COURSE, WE WANT A HIGH- END DAILY FEE GOLF COURSE. IN THE 1990S, THAT WAS A VERY KNOWN TERM, PHRASE. WE'RE NOT THERE YET, BUT WE ARE SEEING GLIMPSE OF IT, OKAY? DEFINITELY WANT TO STAY VIGILANT, BUT IF WE KEEP MOVING FORWARD IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS LIKE WE HAVE IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS, WE WILL BE IN REALLY GREAT SHAPE. LONG- TERM NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS. THE INFRASTRUCTURE, IRRIGATION IS ALWAYS GOING TO BEBE CONCERN WHEN YOU HAVE 2200 HEADS OUT THERE. THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE SOME KIND OF ISSUES IN THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM. BUT THE GROUND FLEXES, AND ANYBODY THAT HAS A HOUSE AROUND HERE THAT WORRIES ABOUT FOUNDATION PROBLEMS, THAT'S JUST A PART OF LIVING IN THIS AREA. ONGOING CART PATH MAINTENANCE HAS TO BE SOMETHING YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT. DRAINAGE PIPES GETS SQUISHED BELOW GROUND AND GET CLOGGED. THAT'S AN ONGOING ISSUE. CLUBHOUSE UPGRADES.
I KNOW KING AND AMERICAN GOLF IS TALKING ABOUT DOING A NUMBER OF UPGRADES OVER THE NEXT YEAR IN AND AROUND THE CLUBHOUSE.
LANDSCAPE UPGRADES, THEY ALREADY STARTED THAT PROCESS, SO THAT LOOKS REALLY GOOD. IRRIGATION, 2200 HEADS.
THIS WAS MY LINE. 3200 GALLONS PERPER CAPABILITY OF BUMPING THROUGH THAT CLUBHOUSE.
3200 GALLONS A MINUTE. THAT CAN DRIVE LOT OF SPRINKLER HEADS OUT THERE.
AND THE SYSTEM HAD MULTIPLE REPAIRS, HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF REPAIRS.
ORIGINALLY DESIGNED VALVES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM, WE ARE AT 25 YEARS RIGHT NOW, RIGHT,
LARRY? >> IT ACTUALLY, YOU CAN SAY 27.
>> 27. AND TO REPLACE THE WHOLE SYSTEM, IT'S $2 MILLION, AND TO REPLACE THE WHOLE SYSTEM YOU HAVE TO SHUTDOWN A GOLF COURSE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THAT A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME.
200 HEADS OR 10%, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME. YOU KNOW, TRY AND KEEP THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM IN GOOD SHAPE. CART PATHS, AGAIN, 25 YEARS -- APPROXIMATELY 25% OF THE OVERALL CART PATHS NEED TO BE REPLACED.
THEY LOOK LIKE THAT PICTURE ON THE RIGHT.
THEY ARE BAD -- THEY ARE NOT DANGEROUS BUT THEY JUST LOOK BAD. THEY DON'T LOOK, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU WOULD WANT THEM TO LOOK.
BUT, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME, WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS GETTING THOSE REPAIRED. THIS SHOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED OVER TIME, JUST LIKE WE WERE SAYING, PRIORITIZING THE MOST CRITICAL REPAIRS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. DRAINAGE, BASICALLY THE SAME THING, YOU KNOW. THE DRAINAGE BELOW THE GROUND.
THIS GROUND FLEXES SO MUCH THAT IT JUST CRUSHES THE DRAINAGE PIPES. WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO REPAIR THOSE A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
CONCLUSION. SIGNIFICANT ASSET WITH RICH AMENITIES FOR ALL CITIZENS IN ROWLETT.
IT'S A LOT OF OPEN SPACE FOR PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY. TREMENDOUS INCOME-PRODUCING PROPERTY FOR THE CITY OF ROWLETT. MOST SIGNIFICANT BRAND
[00:35:01]
NAME AND HOPEFULLY THE MOST PRIDEFUL -- OR ONE OF THE MOST PRIDEFUL PIECES THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE.CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THE ASSET IS CRITICAL.
AGAIN, IN THE DETAILS, IN MOST CASES WE ARE NOT LOOKING AT LARGE CHUNKS OF MONEY BUT LITTLE CHUNKS OF MONEY ALONG THE WAY WE ARE GOING TO NEED.
VITAL TO MAINTAINING PROPERTY VALUES IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT'S IT.
QUESTIONS? >> WELL I DO BELIEVE THAT THE COURSE REALLY -- I MEAN, EVEN I, AND I'M NOT A GOLFER, CAN SEE THE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS.
SO I THINK THAT IS -- THAT IS REALLY, LIKE I SAY, CONGRATULATIONS ARE IN ORDER.
I FULLY SUPPORT CONTINUING TO MAINTAIN THIS ASSET.
YOU KNOW, GOLF IS A WONDERFUL SPORT AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GIVE IT A SHOT.
>> YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY INTERESTING.
I WATCHED THAT DEMOGRAPHIC OF THE GOLF COURSE ALL THE TIME, AND IT'S UNBELIEVABLE HOW MUCH IT HAS CHANGED IN THE LAST TEN YEARS. I MEAN, THERE ARE LARGE GROUPS OF WOMEN, KIDS OUT ON THE GOLF COURSE THAT YOU SEE 95% MEN, RIGHT? AND IT'S CHANGED DRAMATICALLY IN THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS.
I THINK COVID HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT AS WELL.
I'M NOT REALLY SURE, BUT THAT SEEMS TO BE THE DIFFERENTIATING LINE FOR THE DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE, BUT EVERYBODY IS OUT PLAYING GOLF THESE DAYS.
THE GOLF COURSE, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A PRETTY WEATHER DAY, IT'S PACKED.
>> THAT'S GREAT. I DO KNOW THAT THE THREE- HOLE PRACTICE FIELDS THAT WE HAVE, TEES, WHATEVER THEY ARE CALLED, THAT'S REALLY POPULAR, TOO. AND WE DO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS.
>> I DO THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
>> ROCK WALL COMES ALL THE WAY OVER HERE.
THEY DO. >> IT'S WONDERFUL. THIS IS A SPORT THAT, OBVIOUSLY, WE CAN PROMOTE FOR LIFE- LONG HEALTHY HABITS.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT. I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS SUPPORTING OUR YOUNG KIDS AND I THINK EVERYTHING LOOKS GREAT.
>> I CAN TELL YOU THAT I HAVE BEEN ON THIS COMMITTEE A LONG TIME. LARRY HAS BEEN ON THE COMMITTEE SINCE ITS INCEPTION. FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE FIRST TIME I CAN WALK OUT OF THE MEETING SMILING, HAVING A GOOD TIME. EVEN IF WE ARE HAVING A PROBLEM, WE ARE LAUGHING ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, WHEREAS BEFORE WE WERE JUST LIVID.
>> SO IT HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY FROM THAT STANDPOINT.
>> FOR ME, IT'S SO MUCH FUN. GOING OUT AND SEEING THOSE GREENS AND PUTTING ON THOSE GREENS, IT'S, LIKE, OH, THIS IS JUST WONDERFUL, SO.
>> IF I COULD RESPOND JUST REAL QUICK, AND YOU KNOW HOW INVESTED I AM IN THE GOLF COURSE, AND I WILL JUST MEETING BEFORE AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT GETS SET IN THIS MEETING, AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE IN THE 44 TO 46,000 ROUND RANGE, AND THAT'S A SWEET SPOT.
THE GREEN SPEEDS ARE BEING RAISED.
WE GET TOURNAMENTS AND WE GET GOOD MONEY FOR TOURNAMENTS AND WE ARE NOT A DISCOUNT. WE ARE COMPETITIVE AND NOT A DISCOUNT RIGHT NOW, AND THE BIG THING IS WE ARE ESTIMATING ABOUT 70% OF THE 44 TO 46,000 PEOPLE ARE OUT OF TOWN. THAT'S SOMETHING WE TALK ABOUT IN THIS CITY COUNCIL MEETING ALL THE TIME, HOW DO WE BRING PEOPLE INTO OUR CITY AND GIVE THEM A HIGH- QUALITY EXPERIENCE, AND YOU HEARD ME BEAT THIS DRUM BEFORE. I NEVER THOUGHT THE GOLF COURSE GOT ENOUGH RECOGNITIN FOR THAT PART OF IT, FOR JUST THIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PART OF BRINGING -- I'M TALKING LARGE GROUPS.
IF WE GET THESE TOURNAMENTS WHERE THERE'S TWO GROUPS OF FOUR ON EVERY TEE, AND PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER, AND A LOT OF THEM THAT PUT ON A TOURNAMENT FOR A COUPLE HUNDRED PEOPLE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND IT'S PEOPLE WITH REAL MONEY COMING OUT. I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE A
[00:40:01]
REAL PART OF THE STORY, AS WE AS A COUNCIL START LOOKING AT WHERE WE ARE PUTTING OUR MONEY, THAT IT'S NOT JUST -- WE'RE NOT JUST PUTTING MONEY INTO A RECREATIONAL ITEM. WE ARE PUTTING MONEY INTO AN ACTUAL FINANCIALLY ACTIVE ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR OUR CITY.SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE NUMBERS GOT THROWN OUT THERE BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
IN? >> YEAH, I WILL TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT TACT. SO THE HIG- END DAILY FEE IS NOT JUST WORDS, BUT IT'S IN THE CONTRACT IN MULTIPLE PLACES. IT HAS BEEN IN THERE SINCE THE YEAR 1999 WHEN I HELPED WRITE THE CONTRACT.
HAVE WE EVER ACHIEVED THAT? NO. AMERICAN GOLF CAME TO US FOUR YEARS AGO AND SAID LIST THREE GOLF COURSES THAT YOU BELIEVE WE NEED TO MIRROR. WHEN THEY MADE THE PRESENTATION TO YOU, THIS WAS, LIKE, THREE MONTHS AGO, I THINK THEY WERE HERE.
THE PRESENTER, I LISTENED AND WATCHED THE VIDEO, SAID WE'RE ALMOST THERE. NOW IN MY OPINION, THAT'S NOT TRUE. WE'RE CLOSE ON SOME OF THE ASPECTS, AS THEY SAID. OUR GREENS HAVE BECOME VERY, VERY GOOD. OUR TEES ARE BETTER AND FAIRWAYS ARE BETTER. THE OUTSIDE OF THE GOLF COURSE IS NOT.
SO WILL WE GET TO THE STATUS THAT I HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR -- AND I GAVE YOU THE REPORTS, AND I WILL GIVE YOU ONE WITH THE SAME MAGAZINE PROBABLY IN A WEEK AGO, AND YOU WILL SEE THAT REPORT. I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE ARE AT, BUT I WILL GIVE YOU THAT REPORT, LIKE 18 OR 19 YEARS I HAVE BEEN DOING THAT.
THAT'S ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO LOOK AT OUR GOLF COURSE. WHAT DO THEY THINK OF OUR GOLF COURSE? THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT I THINK BRAD MENTIONED THAT I THINK ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. I HAVE ABOUT 25 PEOPLE WHO CALL ME ALL THE TIME BECAUSE I HAVE KNOWN SINCE -- ACTUALLY, THIS WAS A COTTON FIELD. THEY KEEP ME UP-TO- DATE ON WHAT THEY SEE ON THE GOLF COURSE.
CART PATHS ARE REALLY, REALLY BAD.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAST REPORT FROM SANDY QUEEN, AND YOU WILL GET THAT, HE SAID IT WAS A CRITICAL FAILURE. THAT WAS NOT HIS WORDS, BUT HE HAD IT AS A FAILURE. WE ASKED THIS YEAR FROM AMERICAN GOLF, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO PUT MONEY INTO CART PATHS. I DID MISS TWO MEETINGS AND IT MAY HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED, AND I HAVE NOT HEARD THAT IT WAS, AND I THINK THAT'S LACKING.
I THINK THAT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY, NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DO CART PATHS.
THEY DID IT IN THE PAST, AND THIS YEAR I WAS SURPRISED THEY DID NOT PUT ANY MONEY IN THE GOLF PATHS.
WHEN GOLFERS COME OUT, ONE OF THE THINGS THEY SEE, THEY ARE ON THE GOLF PATH ALL THE TIME.
WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE REALLY, REALLY BAD.
THERE WERE A COUPLE EXAMPLES, AND WE COULD PROBABLY SHOW YOU SOME THAT WERE WORSE.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE AMERICAN GOLF MUST PUT MONEY IN, AND NOT CRITICALLY EVERY YEAR TO FIX IT ALL, BUT KEEP PUTTING MONEY IN TO SHOW IT'S BEING FIXED. YOU GOT THE REPORT FROM SANDY QUEEN. I AM LOOKING AT IT RIGHT NOW.
YOU ASKED HIM TO DO A SPECIAL REPORT, SANDY QUEEN, ON IRRIGATION. IT WAS DATED ON JULY 21, 2025.
HE TALKED ABOUT THE BED HEADS, ÚAND HE GAVE YOU A REPORT, IT WAS TWO-THIRDS OF THE GOLF COURSE, WHAT WAS RED AND WHAT WAS ORANGE. IT WAS REALLY BAD. AND IT WAS HIS RECOMMENDATION -- NOT MY WORDS, HIS. A PROFESSIONAL FULL- TIME IRRIGATION TECHNICIAN IN ADDITION TO THE CONCERN THE STAFF MEMBER WHO IS UNSKILLED SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM AND WORKING UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT. THAT'S ONE. TWO, HIRE AN OUTSIDE IRRIGATION CONTRACTOR TO ADDRESS THE ORANGE AND RED IDENTIFIED HEADS THAT SYSTEM FAILS, THE FIRST THING TO GO IS WHAT WE HAD IN THE PAST, A COUPLE SUMMERS AGO, THE GREENS GO. WHEN THE GREENS GO, NOW YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO REPLACE THAT. SO ATTENTION FROM AMERICAN GOLF MUST BE ON THESE TWO THINGS IN MY OPINION.
CART PATHS WOULD BE TWO, AND IRRIGATION WOULD BE NUMBER ONE.
IF THEY CAN KEEP THOSE UP-TO-DATE, THEN I THINK WE WILL GET TO WHERE BRAD IS TALKING ABOUT. I DON'T THINK WE'RE QUITE THERE YET. I THINK PEOPLE ARE GOING OUT AND APPRECIATING ALL THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE. I'M MORE OR LESS IN
[00:45:01]
CHARGE OF THE CHAMBERS GOLF TOURNAMENT. WE HAD 118 PEOPLE SIGNED UP THIS YEAR, AND THAT'S THE MOST IN QUITE A WHILE.THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE QUALITY. PEOPLE ARE HEARING BETTER THINGS. I WANT TO PLAY.
AND NEXT YEAR I THINK WE WILL GET EVEN A HIGHER NUMBER.
WHY? BECAUSE THEY ARE HEARING GOOD THINGS.
BUT WHEN YOU START LEAVING THE -- LET'S CALL IT THE MANICURED PARAMETER AND MOVE OUTSIDE, THEN YOU START TO SEE THE THINGS WE DON'T WANT TO SEE.
NOW, WHEN WILL WE GET THERE? I DON'T KNOW.
IF WE ARE GOING TO ACTUALLY TRY TO÷÷ REACH THAT GOAL THAT WAS SET -- AND THIS IS THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GOLF COURSE THIS YEAR.
IF WE WANT TO GET TO THAT HIGH-END DAILY FEE -- AND WE CAN. IT'S DOABLE.
A LITTLE MORE WORK HAS TO BE DONE.
I'M GLAD AMERICAN GOLF IS MAKING MONEY. I MEAN, THAT'S THE THING WE WANT.
WE WANT THEM TO MAKE AS MUCH MONEY AS THEY CAN, AND DYNAMIC PRICING, AS IT GETS MORE CROWDED THEY RAISE THEIR RATES AND THAT'S FINE.
WE FOUND SOMETHING IN THE CONTRACT, AGAIN, 25 YEARS AGO, THE RESIDENTS GET A BREAK, AND PEOPLE SAID I THOUGHT YOU WROTE THAT IN THERE. I DID.
THE ADDITIONAL MONEY THEY ARE RAISING, THEY WILL KEEP DOING THAT. THAT'S UP TO YOU GUYS.
INCLUDING THE PONDS THAT I REFERRED TO, AND INCLUDING THE REVISED DRIVING RANGE.
THAT WILL BE SPECIAL. THAT WILL BE SPECIAL.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT AND THE DOLLARS YOU PUT INTO THE GOLF COURSE. MY BELIEF, HOWEVER, IT'S REALLY AMERICAN GOLF'S. THEY HAVE THE CONTRACT TO RUN THIS, AND IT'S THEIR DOLLARS THEY WOULD BE PUTTING INTO THE CART PATHS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
>> WE WANT TO STAY VIGIL. WE HAVE GONE BACKWARDS IN THE PAST, YOU KNOW. WE HAVE SEEN THAT MANY TIMES.
BUT I HAVE NEVER SEEN IT GO THIS FAR FORWARD.
WE JUST WANT TO STAY VIGILANT. YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB. ANYTHING ELSE ANYBODY WANTS TO ASK OR HAS COMMENTS ABOUT?
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, I AM ALSO A PASSER OUT THERE, AND I WORK BROUGHT IN A LOT OF PLAYERS. ONE OF THE GUYS AND HIS SON COME UP AND TOLD ME, I NEVER REALIZED ROWLETT HAD SUCH A GREAT COURSE AND SUCH A BEAUTIFUL CITY. I SAID, CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT WHY YOU ARE THINKING THAT?
>> AS WE ARE DRIVING UP, THE HOMES ARE TAKEN CARE OF, AND THE COURSE IS GREAT, AND MY SON HAS A JOB IN DALLAS AND IS LOOKING TO MOVE, AND WE ARE GOING TO COME THIS WEEK AND START LOOKING IN ROWLETT FOR MY SON TO BUY.
>> I GUESS IT'S A GOOD THING THE CITY GOT THE SEWER --
>> I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW WELL THAT WAS HANDLED AND MANAGED IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
I MEAN, FANTASTIC JOB. THAT ACTUALLY IMPACTED THE GOLF COURSE AS WELL. GETTING TO THE GOLF COURSE WAS A CHALLENGE WHILE THAT WAS GOING ON, BUT THEY WERE STILL TURNING OUT THE GOLFERS.
>> I WILL GIVE YOU MY ONLY COMMENT I WILL SAY ON THIS, AND I HAVE SEEN THE CITY FOR MANY YEARS, AND I HAVE WATCHEDWATCHED COURSE AND I HAVE SEEN IT ON GOOD DAYS AND BAD DAYS AND DROUGHT DAYS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AND THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AMERICAN GOLF -- I RECALL THEM, AND Y'ALL CAN CORRECT ME, AND I DIDN'T RECALL THEM SAYING ANYTHING ABOUT THE CART PATHS WHEN THEY WERE HERE WITH US, THE SHAPE OR ANYTHING, AND THAT'S A FAILURE ON THEIR PART. THEY NEED TO ADDRESS THOSE AND I WISH THEY WOULD DO THAT HERE PRETTY SOON AND IT CAN THROW PEOPLE OFF COURSE AND MAKE THEM FALL OVER OR TIP OR WHATEVER.
THE LAST THING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE GEOFENCING WITH THE GOLF CARTS IF THEY COULD MAKE THAT HAPPEN. OTHERWISE, I THINK Y'ALL HAVE BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB AND THE ADVISORY BOARD DOES A GREAT JOB. IT'S A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALL THE PASSION IN THERE, AND I AM SURE THOSE MEETINGS ARE VERY INTERESTING.
I KNOW THAT BECAUSE THERE'S JUST TOO MANY PEOPLE WITH SO MUCH PASSION THEY WANT TO SEE IN THERE AND THE CHANGES THEY WANT TO SEE TO MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL. I THANK YOU ALL FOR THE GOOD WORK YOU DO THERE AND APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO.
>> WE ALL HAVE THE SAME GOAL, AND A HIGH- END GOLF
[00:50:08]
COURSE AND WE WANT THAT LOOK AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS WE CAN GET THERE, BUT WE ALL WANT THE SAME THING.>> I'M IN FAVOR OF MORE RECOGNITION OF LARRY -- NO, THAT'S WHERE I LEARNED HOW TO PUTT IT AS A CHILD, AND I AM HAPPY TO SEE THE GREENS ARE BETTER AND YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB ON THE GOLF COURSE.
>> SOMEBODY GOT SOMEBODY'S ATTENTION SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, AND THINGS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.
WE ARE REAPING THE BENEFITS OF THAT, SO THAT'S GREAT.
>> I HEARD SOMEBODY TODAY THAT SAID THE AVERAGE CEO IN AMERICA IS BETWEEN 50 AND 52 YEARS OLD, AND 80% OF CEOS ARE AVID GOLFERS.
WE HAVE A HIGH- END GOLF COURSE AND DRAWING PEOPLE, AND THERE'S A CEO AND HE'S LOOKING TO RELOCATE HIS BUSINESS AND HE LIKES ROWLETT AND SEES GOOD PLACES TO DEVELOP, AND FROM A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POINT, THAT'S NOT A BAD THING.
>> MR. MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT.
BRAD, WE MET TWO YEARS AGO. WATERVIEW, IT WAS NATIONAL NIGHT OUT. YOU GAVE ME QUITE AN EAR FULL, AND I TOLD YOU THEN WE WOULD GET THE COURSE IN MUCH BETTER SHAPE. I'M GOING TO BRAG A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE I CAUGHT A LOT OF FLACK TWO YEARS AGO.
I MADE A PERSONNEL CHANGE IN PART BECAUSE OF THE CONDITION OF THE GOLF COURSE. THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE HERE MAY REMEMBER THAT, BECAUSE WE HAD AN EVENT COMING UP REGARDING THE GOLF COURSE AND THE STAFF PERSON RESPONSIBLE WAS NOT ATTENTIVE TO THE NEEDS.
WHY AM I BRINGING IT UP? BECAUSE I CATCH A LOT OF FLACK TO THE CHANGES I MADE. I GAVE THE ASSIGNMENT TO CHRIS WHO WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT AT THE TIME, BUT DESERVES ALL THE CREDIT IN THE WORLD, RIGHT? WE TALKED ABOUT ENGAGING AMERICAN AGC. HE HAS HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE, WHICH WERE NOT PLEASANT AT THE TIME, AND I'M GRATEFUL TO HEAR THE POSITIVE FEEDBACK. REST ASSURE, WE WILL REMAIN VIGILANT. WE'RE NOT DONE.
BUT IT IS REWARDING TO BE ABLE TO HEAR HIS EARLY- MORNING MEETINGS AND THE NUMEROUS CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE HAD TO HAVE ABOUT GOLF, AND I HAVE NOT HAD TO PLAY THE COURSE ONCE, AND YOU PLAYED IT ONCE OR TWICE.
>> I ASKED YOU TO PLAY IN THE CHAMBER --
>> WE ONLY GET INVITED TO PLAY ONCE A YEAR, BUT, OKAY.
>> WE DON'T GET TO HEAR THE POSITIVE ALL THE TIME.
IT'S GOOD TO HEAR THAT AND IT'S A VINDICATING MOMENT, AND I'M POSITIVE TO HEAR THE POSITIVE FEEDBACK AND WE ARE NOWHERE NEAR DONE.
>> WE DON'T GIVE THE CITY MANAGER A
DAY OFF. >> APPARENTLY NEITHER DOES CHRIS, BECAUSE HE HASN'T PLAYED EITHER.
>> THAT WAS A GREAT REPORT. WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT SETTING UP POSITIVE -- SO MUCH GOOD STUFF GOING, POSITIVE, AND WE SAID LET'S FOCUS ON THAT, AND YOU ALL DID. THANK YOU FOR COMING.
>> IT'S OUR PLEASURE, ESPECIALLY BRINGING POSITIVE NEWS. NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT BEFORE.
[6. Discuss Consent Agenda Items for November 4, 2025, City Council Meeting]
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. SO WE HAVE FINISHED THAT ITEM.
WE ARE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 6. DISCUSS CONSENT AGENDA ITEM FOR NOVEMBER 4TH 2025 COUNCIL MEMBER.
ANY MEMBER HAVE A REQUEST TO REMOVE THE ITEM FOR CONSIDERATION IN TOMORROW'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING?
>> WELL, THEN, I GUESS I GET TO ADJOURN MY FIRST
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.