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Park board recommends Flat Park clubhouse lease to local disc-golf group to city council
Summary
Parks staff recommended, and the park board voted to forward to city council, a new lease for the Flat Park clubhouse to the local disc-golf organization after an RFP review; the proposal highlighted volunteer hours, park maintenance and an estimated economic impact from a national tournament.
Parks staff briefed the Wichita Board of Park Commissioners on the recommended lease for the Flat Park clubhouse and sought the board’s approval to forward the agreement to city council. Staff said the city ran an RFP, interviewed two proposers and recommends continuing a lease with the incumbent disc-golf organization.
Why it matters: commissioners said the group’s volunteer maintenance work and event activity deliver direct community value and reduce demands on city staff. Staff said the recommended operator provides concessions, restroom availability and coordinated volunteer services that save the city an estimated $75,000 in equivalent labor and support park activation.
What staff reported
- Background: the Flat Park golf clubhouse closed in 2019; the building was rented in 2021 to a local disc-golf operator under a lease that later moved to month-to-month after mid-2024. The city was directed to run an RFP; interviews were held in January and two proposals were reviewed.
- Recommendation: staff recommended awarding the lease to the incumbent disc-golf group (identified in the meeting as the proposal that demonstrated past performance and volunteer engagement). Staff said the group contributed more than 2,000 volunteer hours and that one national disc-golf tournament can generate an estimated $300,000 in local economic impact.
- Financials: staff said the pilot rent was $300 per month; the new proposal includes first-year rent at $700 per month plus $200 per month for utilities, with annual increases of about $100 per year under a three-year lease and options for renewal. Staff also noted the organization provided materials and labor to maintain parking, sidewalks and other public areas near the clubhouse.
Board action
A motion to approve the staff recommendation and forward the lease to city council was made during the meeting. The motion was seconded and the board voted in favor; no board member names were recorded in the audio as the mover or seconder in the transcript. The board did not record roll-call vote totals in the public portion of the audio; the chair called for all those in favor and the motion carried.
Context and next steps
Staff said law has approved the lease agreement and the matter will move to city council as part of the normal approval process. Commissioners discussed contract management improvements the city is implementing to better track expirations and compliance. Staff said the proposal selection weighted rent and the indirect community benefits — notably volunteer hours and in-kind investments — when evaluating proposals.
Board members asked about oversight and compliance; staff replied that the department director and the accounting team will share responsibility for contract checks and that a citywide contract-management RFP is in process to strengthen tracking.
