Redmond council hears consultants on Juniper contract, weighs RFP vs. renegotiation

Redmond city officials on Tuesday heard from two golf-industry consultants about options for the city’s Juniper Golf Course management agreement and whether to pursue a competitive request for proposals (RFP) or renegotiate with the incumbent operator, CourseCo.

Jean Krekorian, a principal at Proforma Advisors, and David Sams, a long-time municipal golf manager, told the council the existing CourseCo compensation package is at the lower end for similar courses but that an incentive structure tied to gross revenue boosted total operator pay to roughly $135,000 in recent years. Krekorian said the contract appears “compliant with the tax-exempt bond requirements,” but she recommended reworking incentives to reduce reward for inflation-driven revenue and better align pay with profitability.

The matter matters because, the consultants said, Juniper is operating close to breakeven without sufficient reserves for capital improvements. “Most golf courses reserve between $150,000 and $300,000 a year for things like new irrigation systems and building repairs,” Krekorian said. David Sams added, “I’ve been in golf all my life, 50 years,” and urged a 5– to 20‑year needs analysis to identify likely capital shortfalls as the course ages.

Why it matters: Council members said they want clear, measurable metrics for judging CourseCo’s performance — including marketing effort, junior‑golf programming and community engagement — not solely financial outcomes. Multiple councilors and golf‑committee members told consultants they had not seen sustained local marketing or a robust youth program, and that outside events and alternative revenue streams (festivals, Toptracer driving-range experiences) are being used elsewhere to improve utilization.

What the consultants recommended: Krekorian and Sams outlined trade-offs. An RFP could test the market and generate new ideas but consumes staff time and risks bringing in a lower-performing operator. Krekorian said many cities that have good incumbents prefer to renegotiate; Sams cautioned that some operators in other municipalities have made upfront capital contributions — an uncommon but beneficial feature in Redmond’s contract, where CourseCo reportedly contributed about $80,000 over five years.

Council reaction and next steps: Council members pressed for more data — for example, a clearer breakdown of Juniper’s marketing budget and the percentage of rounds played by Redmond residents versus visitors. Several members supported arranging an informal follow-up meeting so the full council can ask CourseCo specific questions about junior-golf outreach, marketing strategy and restaurant performance before deciding whether to issue an RFP. Staff agreed to schedule that meeting and to return with a recommended needs-analysis and survey plan.

Quotes: Krekorian described Juniper as “part of the public providing inventory” in a crowded regional market and urged the city to examine long‑term capital needs. Sams said municipalities should track golfer origin and preferences: “If even 1% [of your 35,000 rounds] respond, that’s informative.”

What was not decided: The council did not vote on an RFP or a contract amendment. Members asked staff to return with a needs analysis, clearer financial and marketing figures, and options for incentive redesign and program metrics.

The council paused the discussion for other business and plans an informal council‑level meeting with CourseCo and follow-up staff reports on the contract and recommended benchmarks.