EDA and Cook County begin exploring the sale of Superior National Golf Course
After 32 years of owning and operating Superior National Golf Course, the Cook County/Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA) is exploring the sale of the 27-hole public course.
In recent years, EDA meetings have included discussions about Superior National’s financial stability and long-term management plan. In 2023, per the loan agreement between Cook County and the EDA, the EDA Board hired a consultant to compile a marketing analysis and formulate a five-year plan.
The Superior National Golf Course Board of Governors, which oversees the golf course operations, expanded upon the market analysis and five-year replacement, improvements, and upgrades plan. The board of governors created a comprehensive report outlining the golf course’s history, economic impact, operational capacity, revenues, and challenges. The report was presented to the EDA Board during an Aug. 20 meeting.
The report includes numerous findings outlining the challenges the golf course faces, including labor force shortages, ongoing maintenance costs, and needed capital improvements.
During the Aug. 20 EDA meeting, Mike Larson, the president of the Superior National Board of Governors, said that for decades, the golf course had been operated by a tremendous amount of unpaid time and work by now-retired Mike Davies and Scott Harrison that can no longer be matched or sustained. He stressed during the meeting that the golf course has been subsidized by volunteers and is quickly approaching an unsustainable model. Given the circumstances and the financial cost of maintaining and improving the course in the future, the board of governors recommended the best action was to sell the golf course to a private party.
The EDA Board then decided to move forward with gathering more information about the legal process of selling the golf course.
Discussions about selling the Superior National Golf Course resumed during the most recent Oct. 15 EDA meeting. Before discussions began, two members of the public commented on the matter during the public comment period.
“I’m here to encourage the sale, possible sale, of the Superior National Golf Course,” Grand Marais resident Gwen Lenz said during public comment.
Her husband, Bill Lenz, said, “I echo that. I think you’re going to have a hard time finding someone to buy it.”
During the meeting, EDA Vice President Howard Hedstrom said, “I think the time is right.”
“It’s gotten more complicated, with the loss of Scott Harrison, who this was his baby, and he managed that really closely, and now his departure, the full impact of what he did for the community and the golf course is apparent,” Hedstrom said. “It served the county well, contrary to some of the public opinion that it’s a drag on the county and the taxpayers, maybe not, maybe it breaking even, at least.”
During the EDA meeting, Jason Hale, who served as interim EDA director until Oct. 11, said there are many ways the EDA could go about selling the property. “There are several ways in which you can try to solicit interest.”
Hale suggested the board identify covenants to be included in the purchase agreement, such as if the property stays a golf course, private vs. public memberships, and more. “It’s worth flushing that out before you get into negotiations with the buyer.”
One of the identified covenants is the first right of refusal to the Nelson family. In 1986, George Nelson, Jr. and his family donated 320 acres of land to the citizens of Cook County to support the construction of a public golf course to complement local lodging, hospitality, and outdoor recreation. The original transfer of property included a covenant that the Nelson family was first offered the property if a sale were to occur.
According to the Superior National Golf Course report presented to the EDA Board, the full legal requirements necessary to sell the public golf course, including any penalties of early repayment or ownership transfer, are not fully identified yet. The EDA Board will continue exploring the legal process in the coming months.
In order to move forward, the EDA Board needs approval from the Cook County Board of Commissioners. The report and an informational summary were provided to the Commissioners during the Oct. 22 meeting. The Board of Commissioners did not vote on the matter during the meeting.
Commissioner Dave Mills said he is interested in Superior National Golf Course data representing how many Cook County residents use the golf course and how a potential sale to a private party would impact local golfers.
Commissioner Stacey Johnson said, “I just want to thank the EDA Board. This has been a long time coming, and I appreciate the information and the research that really went into this. It’s a complicated situation, and this is not something that’s going to happen soon.”
“I’m really interested in getting a market analysis on the value of Superior National,” Commissioner Ann Sullivan said. “That is my big request of the EDA.”
The Superior National Golf Course Board of Governors and EDA representatives will attend the Nov. 12 Board of Commissioners meeting to begin formal discussions and answer questions about the potential sale of the golf course.
View the Superior National Golf Course report here.
Below is audio from the Oct. 22 Cook County Board of Commissioners meeting about the Superior National Golf Course.
Kalli Hawkins October 23, 2024
