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Vernon Hills golf course operator reports rising engagement, plans rate proposal and new general manager
Summary
Kemper Sports reported year-to-date marketing gains, community events and administrative upgrades at the Vernon Hills municipal golf course, and said it will return in November with recommended rate changes for 2026. The operator also announced a returning general manager will start Nov. 17.
Vernon Hills — Kemper Sports, the contract operator for the Vernon Hills Golf Course, told the Village Board on Oct. 21 that community events and marketing changes increased engagement this season and that the operator will return in November with proposed rate adjustments for 2026.
The operator said community events this year included an “Afternoon on the Back 9” that drew about 104 participants, a glow-golf evening that illuminated four holes and drew 19 players, and smaller tournaments and game-day specials at the clubhouse bar. “It was a wonderful event,” Kemper Sports representative Vince Suarez said of the back-9 event.
Why it matters: The golf course is municipally owned and subsidized; higher attendance and marketing success could reduce the subsidy needed from the village budget, and proposed rate changes will affect users and revenue forecasts.
Kemper outlined several operational changes it has implemented: new point-of-sale hot keys, inventory adjustments for the pro shop and food-and-beverage operations, month-end financial procedure changes in coordination with village finance staff, and additional front-line staff training. The operator noted a small contribution to revenue from third-party instruction: a Chicago School of Golf program produced roughly $3,000 in revenue for the muni but generated community exposure through 61 total registrations across camps and clinics.
The operator also said it has scheduled nightclub-style “Glow Ball” nights for 02/19/26, and noted that events with reusable glow equipment were roughly breakeven but increased community awareness.
Kemper confirmed it had hired Jason Poblocki as general manager; Poblocki, who previously worked at the course in the early 2000s and has been in California, is scheduled to start Nov. 17. Board members and course staff received the hire positively.
Kemper said it will return to the board in November with a proposed rate plan for FY 2026. That presentation will include recommended price structures and comparisons of static-versus-dynamic pricing to inform board action ahead of the winter season.
Board response and next steps: Trustees asked clarifying questions about staffing and the site layout for events. The operator agreed to return to the Nov. meeting with specific rate-change proposals for board consideration.
Sources: Presentation to the Village Board by Kemper Sports representatives Vince Suarez and Mary Kate Walsh, Oct. 21, 2025.
