Council authorizes Shoop Golf Course option-to-improve-and-operate agreement with Kaiser group

The Common Council on Jan. 21 granted the city permission to negotiate and enter an option‑to‑improve‑and‑operate agreement for Shoop Golf Course with the Kaiser Golf Group and a Leopold/Johnson local team.

Residents Craig Leopold and Jerry Frank presented the concept to the council and described prior outreach by the Kaiser Golf Group to the city dating back to 2021. Leopold said the intention is to redesign and invest in the course without increasing green fees, to address drainage problems and to look for ecological design improvements. Frank said the proposal would most likely be structured as a public‑private partnership, and he emphasized that existing deed restrictions require the site to remain a golf course and that the land is city‑owned but located within the village of Wind Point, which could require coordination with two local governments and the Department of Natural Resources.

Alder Weidner asked whether deed restrictions prevent the city from negotiating such an agreement; the city attorney responded that leasing or having a third party operate the golf course is permitted under the current deed restrictions and that questions about a potential sale would require further review. The city attorney also noted that the existing operator contract for the city’s courses expires in 2026 or 2027, meaning the option negotiation would not conflict with the current operator schedule.

The council voted to approve item 0056‑25 by voice vote; the motion carried unanimously.

Action summary: the council authorized the mayor and staff to negotiate the proposed option‑to‑improve‑and‑operate agreement and directed staff to return with any formal agreement for council consideration.