Reno Tahoe USA News Releases
RSCVA considers closing Northgate Golf Club priority placed on marketing destination to visitors
2009-01-07
The Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA) today announced that the Facilities and Finance committee of the RSCVA Board of Directors are scheduled to discuss the future of the Northgate Golf Club (NGC) the week of Jan. 12. Committee meetings take place in advance of the full RSCVA Board of Directors meeting. The full Board is scheduled to meet Thursday, Jan. 22 at 9 a.m. at the Reno Town Mall. All meetings are open to the public.
Consistent with the current RSCVA Strategic Plan that calls for the efficient management of RSCVA assets, staff has been working since April 2007 to bring NGC to a break even status within two years. RSCVA staff has followed a methodical process exploring all options leading to this recommendation including: evaluating and looking to streamline current golf operations, seeking alternative management and evaluating alternative uses. After evaluation, staff has determined that NGC will not be at a break even status within two years.
At this time staff sees no other alternative than to recommend that the Board of Directors consider permanently closing the golf operation at NGC. This recommendation does not impact Wildcreek Golf Course where normal operations will continue.
“For the past several years the RSCVA has remained true to the strategic plan and has consistently tried to eliminate the deficit at Northgate,” said Ellen Oppenheim, RSCVA president and CEO. “Having exhausted the other alternatives we must now make this recommendation to the Board of Directors.”
“The mission of the RSCVA is to attract overnight visitors to Reno-Tahoe,” Oppenheim said. “If the Board should vote to close Northgate, it will allow the RSCVA to devote more financial resources to market the region at a time when maximum resources are needed.”
Through the 2008 season NGC operated as an 18-hole championship golf course. NGC closed for the season Dec. 1, 2008. Levels of play at NGC this past season have not improved. It is budgeted that NGC will produce a loss of approximately $530,000 during the 2008/2009 fiscal year, the equivalent of losing $27.40 for each round of golf played at the course.
With 19 golf courses in the Truckee Meadows, there has been a near doubling of public golf course inventory over the past eight years. The RSCVA and other local municipalities funded a study which concluded the Truckee Meadows golf market is over served by approximately 36 holes. The study was most recently updated in 2007 by Economic Research Associates, an international consulting firm focused on real estate, entertainment and leisure.
In addition to its role as a destination marketing organization with a mission to attract both leisure travelers and convention business to Reno-Tahoe, the RSCVA owns and/or operates major public assembly facilities in the Reno, Sparks and Lake Tahoe areas, including:
- The Reno-Sparks Convention Center
- The Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center
- The National Bowling Stadium
- Reno Events Center
- Wildcreek Golf Course
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The mission of the RSCVA is to attract overnight visitors to Reno-Tahoe lodging properties through tourism marketing, convention sales and facility operations. For more information, please visit the RSCVA online at www.VisitRenoTahoe.com
Consistent with the current RSCVA Strategic Plan that calls for the efficient management of RSCVA assets, staff has been working since April 2007 to bring NGC to a break even status within two years. RSCVA staff has followed a methodical process exploring all options leading to this recommendation including: evaluating and looking to streamline current golf operations, seeking alternative management and evaluating alternative uses. After evaluation, staff has determined that NGC will not be at a break even status within two years.
At this time staff sees no other alternative than to recommend that the Board of Directors consider permanently closing the golf operation at NGC. This recommendation does not impact Wildcreek Golf Course where normal operations will continue.
“For the past several years the RSCVA has remained true to the strategic plan and has consistently tried to eliminate the deficit at Northgate,” said Ellen Oppenheim, RSCVA president and CEO. “Having exhausted the other alternatives we must now make this recommendation to the Board of Directors.”
“The mission of the RSCVA is to attract overnight visitors to Reno-Tahoe,” Oppenheim said. “If the Board should vote to close Northgate, it will allow the RSCVA to devote more financial resources to market the region at a time when maximum resources are needed.”
Through the 2008 season NGC operated as an 18-hole championship golf course. NGC closed for the season Dec. 1, 2008. Levels of play at NGC this past season have not improved. It is budgeted that NGC will produce a loss of approximately $530,000 during the 2008/2009 fiscal year, the equivalent of losing $27.40 for each round of golf played at the course.
With 19 golf courses in the Truckee Meadows, there has been a near doubling of public golf course inventory over the past eight years. The RSCVA and other local municipalities funded a study which concluded the Truckee Meadows golf market is over served by approximately 36 holes. The study was most recently updated in 2007 by Economic Research Associates, an international consulting firm focused on real estate, entertainment and leisure.
In addition to its role as a destination marketing organization with a mission to attract both leisure travelers and convention business to Reno-Tahoe, the RSCVA owns and/or operates major public assembly facilities in the Reno, Sparks and Lake Tahoe areas, including:
- The Reno-Sparks Convention Center
- The Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center
- The National Bowling Stadium
- Reno Events Center
- Wildcreek Golf Course
###
The mission of the RSCVA is to attract overnight visitors to Reno-Tahoe lodging properties through tourism marketing, convention sales and facility operations. For more information, please visit the RSCVA online at www.VisitRenoTahoe.com
