UMN: Board of Regents to vote on sale of golf course in Falcon Heights

Yahoo

16 hours ago

The University of Minnesota Board of Regents is expected to vote Thursday to authorize the sale of the Les Bolstad golf course, with University officials citing financial and infrastructure needs.
The approximately 141-acre public facility in Falcon Heights will remain open during the 2025 season – with scheduled activities to proceed for the remainder of the year – and close as usual in the fall, but will not reopen in the spring.
'We recognize this course holds generations of memories for our community. This decision reflects careful consideration and was made in light of today's challenging financial environment. As a public university, we have a responsibility to ensure that our land and resources are aligned with our core mission: supporting students, advancing research, and serving the state of Minnesota,' U officials said in a statement.
The golf course, which opened in 1928, requires significant work and no longer meets the University's threshold for investments that advance teaching, research and service, according to the University.
'The course requires significant infrastructure upgrades to remain viable. The irrigation system is more than 50 years old and past its useful life,' according to a Board docket. 'The original clubhouse has been closed for over a decade due to safety concerns, and the operations of the course are currently housed in a temporary facility. These investments are not mission-critical and would divert resources from core academic and research priorities.'
The University will obtain two independent appraisals to help guide setting a market value for the property. A final sale price will depend on market conditions, land-use potential and buyer negotiations.
The John W. Mooty Golf Facility used by the University's men's and women's golf teams, as well as the Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium used by the women's soccer team and the KUOM radio tower will not be included in the sale.
Falcon Heights city officials said in a Friday statement that they look forward to working with the University, potential buyers and community members on the future of the property.
If the site were to become available for private development, it might provide an opportunity for the city, which is fully developed, to create a new neighborhood, according to the city's 2024 Larpenteur Avenue Corridor Study.
'The Falcon Heights community has taken proactive steps to plan for the potential reuse of the property with the adoption of our Larpenteur/Snelling Corridor Study, which was approved in 2024 and included looking at potential future zoning for the site,' Friday's statement said.
The sale of Hillcrest Golf Course on the Greater East Side for $10 million in 2019 to the St. Paul Port Authority has opened up 112 acres for residential and commercial development.
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