Alamogordo staff outline plan to bring Desert Lakes Golf Course operations in‑house amid contract transition

City of Alamogordo parks staff on Tuesday laid out a proposal to bring management of Desert Lakes Golf Course in‑house for a five‑ to ten‑year period to speed repairs and expand programming while the current contract with G and L Golf comes to an end.

The plan, presented by city parks staff member Bindi, calls for city staff to operate the pro shop and maintenance, lease the restaurant to a private operator with a proposed 90/10 revenue split in favor of the city, and invest in major capital work including pond relining required under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), irrigation replacement and a long‑term greens conversion. “What we’re trying to do is make the golf course be somewhat self sustainable so that the subsidy that goes into it goes actually into repairing and making improvements to the golf course,” Bindi said.

The proposal was prompted in part by a multiyear decline in course condition and by the arrival of a new irrigation system funded largely with assistance from former state senator Ron Griggs and other state officials. The city said the whole facility is about 150 acres — a 64‑acre front nine and an 86‑acre back nine — with a total of 11 ponds and an irrigation system more than 30 years old. Staff also said the ponds hold roughly “8 to 10 million” gallons of reclaimed water (estimate in presentation).

Why it matters: bringing operations in‑house would shift where the municipal subsidy is applied, the city said, moving money now paid to a private contractor toward on‑course work and community programming. City staff said in‑house management would also make the golf course eligible for additional state and federal recreation grants tied to inclusive programming for youth, women and minority players.

Financial picture and modeling: the city presented five‑year averages and three financial scenarios (status quo, in‑house and a management‑company model using figures the contractor supplied). Staff projected roughly $1.8 million in annual total income under the in‑house scenario (green fees, pro shop, restaurant and other income) and estimated a five‑year average city maintenance cost of about $663,000 per year. The city’s modeling (based on figures provided in contractor and staff proposals) showed a gap under some scenarios: the management‑company model provided by the contractor’s representative showed higher near‑term costs for the city because it assumed the city would pay restaurant and pro‑shop employment and cost‑of‑goods in its modeling. Bindi summarized: the objective is not to “generate revenue” but to reduce net subsidy devoted only to contractor payouts and instead use it for capital repairs and programming.

Contractor and community reactions: Grant, who represents G and L Golf, urged caution with the city’s presentation and emphasized that his management model submitted to the city was a one‑year comparison and included assumptions about equipment rental and staffing that he said the city’s slide version treated as static. Grant said, “65% according to the National Golf Foundation, 65% of all municipalities across the country are run by either run or partially run by a management company,” arguing many municipalities rely on outside management firms and that such firms could absorb existing staff.

Several longtime players and community members praised the work of G and L Golf staff and raised concerns about continuity if the city assumes operations. Dorothy Ald, who said she has played the course for 50 years, urged the city to avoid a disruptive change during a long maintenance transition, saying a change “could be disastrous.” Other speakers urged the commission to solicit and present competitive management proposals before a final decision.

Operations and capital priorities described by staff: staff told the meeting that pond relining (mandated by NPDES) will require tearing up portions of the back nine; they listed cart path repairs, a proposed greens conversion to Bermuda/grama consistent with the city master plan, beautification and pollinator plantings, driving‑range improvements and the potential installation of a Topgolf‑style tracking feature. Staff emphasized sequencing and access concerns tied to the current contract: because the contractor must be able to run rounds to generate revenue, the irrigation work is being staged hole‑by‑hole, which staff said slows some capital work that would otherwise be faster under direct city control.

Staffing and transition: the in‑house model would seek to hire four full‑time pro‑shop staff (cross‑trained for maintenance), five part‑time pro‑shop staff, one full‑time PGA professional to provide lessons, and a general manager of golf. The city highlighted Michael Bradley, the course superintendent, noting his agronomy degree and more than 30 years of course operations experience; Bradley did not make a policy motion but was presented as the candidate to lead course maintenance if the city assumes management.

Procurement and next steps: city staff stressed the current contract with G and L Golf is ending and any new operating contract would be procured under state procurement laws. The city said the issue is scheduled for the City Commission on June 10; staff and residents asked the commission to require clear financial detail and, if a management RFP goes forward, to ensure it contains investment and incentive provisions. Bindi said staff would make modeling and supporting spreadsheets available to interested parties.

Points of disagreement and unanswered questions: residents and contractor representatives differed over cost assumptions in the models, the treatment of pro‑shop revenues and risks (Grant noted pro‑shop sales and inventory risk are borne by his business under the existing model), the feasibility and cost of the Topgolf‑style driving range upgrade, and whether the city could sustain added operational risk without long‑term continuity. Several speakers also raised concerns about private cart grandfathering and future cart policies.

No formal motion or vote was recorded at the meeting. The City Commission is scheduled to consider the matter on June 10; staff said procurement rules would govern whether and how management companies present proposals to the commission.

The meeting closed with repeated appeals from residents on both sides to weigh continuity for tournaments and youth programs against the city's interest in directing subsidy to capital repairs and expanded programming.