As of this writing, Erie Golf Club is closed.  The news hit hard when it surfaced in December.  The story goes that due to the "budget" problem, and the fact that "Erie Golf Club" lost money in 2006, it would have to be closed.  There would be no way that it could be funded in the 2007 budget.

The Raptor played at Erie Golf Club in 2006, and has noted the problems that have manifested themselves as a result of the remodeling process.   I would like to reiterate that had there been a definitive plan to operate the facility in 2007 which would have jump started the care and maintenance of the facility in the run up to the golf season, which traditionally begins around April 15th, I would be playing there this year.

With the problems that exist, a way could have been found to mitigate the bad in favor of the good.  

I would like to ask the Sinnott Administration (SAD) the following questions.

1.  The SAD maintains that Erie Golf Club looses money and that "public safety" would be affected if the facility stayed open.  The Raptor asks that all of the financial books of the golf courses which include Downing and JC Martin be opened for public scrutiny.

Note: Erie Golf Club was open for ONE GOLF SEASON in its new iteration. During that period, the weather was awful and the course was a continuing work in progress with the installation of cart paths and a watering system.  In addition, road crews spent a good part of the summer laying pipe in the road for either sewer or water or both.

Even with the construction and the weather, the place was generally busy when it wasn't raining.  There was league play every week night and on weekends the tee sheet had some definite action.

2  The SAD is trying to go to court to have a judge remove the deed restriction so that the land could be sold to a developer.  The Raptor asks the SAD to produce one actual developer who is willing to pay $2,000,000.00 for the land.  And I do not want some mumbo jumbo about confidentiality etc.  I want to know who the developer is.  We need to avoid another juice plant fiasco.

3.   The Raptor would like to ask SAD if there has been any thought to developing multiple usages for Erie Golf Club.  Consider that locals go up there in the winter to ride sleds down the hills.  Can't the SAD build a tubing run up there and use the multi usage clubhouse to serve up snacks and hot chocolate?  Sure that may be a simplistic suggestion but, The Raptor maintains that the only way to determine that the facility is a looser is to run it right.

The Raptor proposes that a compromise be developed between Erie and Millcreek.  Its obvious the the management team in Erie lacks the stones to run anything let alone a golf course.  That being the case perhaps the City could get Millcreek (or some third party) to run the course temporarily while a suitable long term solution is developed.