Background:
History: Hennepin County, under a cooperative agreement with Three Rivers Park District, planned, designed, and developed the Glen Lake Golf and Practice Center, a nine-hole executive golf course with a practice range in the cities of Eden Prairie and Minnetonka. Three Rivers Park District has managed, operated, and maintained the Glen Lake facility since its opening in 1996.
Separately, Hennepin County has owned and operated the Parker’s Lake Golf Center, a full-length outdoor driving range and nine-hole chip-n-putt course, on land not needed for the adjacent Adult Correctional facility (ACF) in the City of Plymouth since the late 1990s. The facility has historically been operated by the county. The golf center also partners with City of Plymouth to offer league and children’s programming through its Parks and Recreation department.
Staff recommends capitalizing on Three Rivers’ extensive experience operating and maintaining public golf courses by continuing its management of the Glen Lake Golf and Practice Center and adding, under separate agreement, the management of the Parker’s Lake Golf Center.
The main provisions of the two agreements are consistent: the county is owner of the facilities and retains all rights, title and interest to all real property; Three Rivers Park District is engaged to operate the facilities; funding for operations will be provided from revenues generated by the golf facilities; Three Rivers will fund, on a temporary basis, any annual cash deficits resulting from golf operations; in the event that the agreement is terminated, the county will reimburse Three Rivers for any deficits remaining; and the agreements will automatically renew every three years unless cancelled in advance by Hennepin County or Three Rivers Park District.
Glen Lake Golf and Practice Center expenses include a debt service payment to the county for financing related to the initial construction of the golf course. As a result, a special “Golf Course Joint Operations Committee” oversees the operations of the course and course-related buildings and grounds. The Joint Operations Committee is comprised of three staff members appointed by the county, three staff members from Three Rivers Park District and one member jointly appointed by the county and Three Rivers Park District.
With respect to the Parker’s Lake Golf Center agreement, certain acknowledgements regarding access to and the use of county-owned maintenance equipment, and capital improvements related to netting, drainage, and the chip-n-putt course are included.
In addition, the county currently maintains License Agreement A070596 with the City of Plymouth for its use of the Parker’s Lake facility to provide basic golf lessons to adults, high schoolers, and youth. The agreement, running through April 14, 2021, prescribes responsibilities and rates. Three Rivers Park District has agreed to accept assignment of the existing agreement through its end date.
Finally, this action facilitates temporary agreements between the parties and others as may be desirable. Since 2007, the county, Three Rivers and the City of Minnetonka have entered into such temporary agreements to allow for cross country skiing at the Glen Lake Golf Course at no cost to the county. The resolution continues the approval of such temporary agreements.
Current Request: Authorization to negotiate cooperative Agreements A2010132 and A2010133 with Three Rivers Park District to manage, operate, and maintain the county-owned Glen Lake Golf and Practice Center and Parker’s Lake Golf Center through December 31, 2023 at no county cost; negotiate assignment of License Agreement A070596 with the City of Plymouth for the provision of basic golf lessons at the Parker’s Lake Golf Center through April 14, 2021; and authorize the County Administrator and the Chair of the Board to enter into temporary agreements relating to cross country skiing and other usage of the Glen Lake Golf Course property as the county's interests are protected and there is no net cost to the county.
Impacts/Outcomes: Continue the county’s long-standing provision of recreational activities to residents.