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Bobby Jones restoration and new nature park credited with flood resilience and strong early revenues
Summary
City officials described the renovation and reopening of Bobby Jones Golf Club, the creation of a 100-acre nature park and a 20-acre wetland that treats runoff; early figures show higher-than-expected play and revenue and claimed environmental benefits for nearby neighborhoods.
Jerry Fogel, Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Sarasota, and John Kretzer, the project manager, presented the history and outcomes of the Bobby Jones Golf Club renovation and the adjacent Nature Park.
Fogel said the clubs golf course, originally opened in 1926 and designed by Donald Ross, was renovated with phased openings: the restored 18-hole course opened in December 2023 and the 9-hole Gillespie Executive Course opened in May 2024. The city entered a conservation easement with The Conservation Fund and an operations agreement with Indigo Sports LLC to manage course operations.
Kretzer said the project included elevated playing surfaces and a constructed 20-acre wetland to improve resiliency. "On an annual basis, that equates to 2,600,000,000 gallons of water that flow through Bobby Jones," he said, and equated the volume to "4,000 Olympic sized swimming pools." Kretzer said the wetland improves filtration and reduces nutrient loads before discharge to Phillippi Creek.
The project produced strong early demand: "In the first 9 months of operation, Bobby Jones hosted 43,770 golf rounds," Kretzer said, and revenues were about 36% above expectations for fiscal 2023-24. He also noted the course has remained open through most weather events except during named hurricanes, a change credited to raised elevations and improved infrastructure such as upgraded irrigation and large culverts that divert water into the wetland for treatment.
City staff also described the Nature Park features (three miles of walking trails, boardwalks, educational signage and habitat creation) and noted phased construction plans for added landscaping and irrigation. The city reported external grant support for the project, including funds from the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Commissioners praised the project and asked for continued coordination with the county and the Legacy Trail connection to the new regional park planning.
City staff said the opened amenities and environmental mitigation are working as designed and emphasized continued collaboration on trail and park connections.
