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West Valley City moves to raise golf rates, adds new player-pass and tournament pricing
Summary
Parks and Recreation Director Jamie Young told the council the city plans to raise 18-hole rates with a cart to $75 and overhaul player-pass and tournament pricing to capture demand and build capital for course maintenance; residents would keep a discounted play rate without paying the $300 pass fee, and passes will remain capped and offered first-come.
Jamie Young, West Valley City’s parks and recreation director, told the council the city is proposing a set of fee changes for its municipal golf courses that would raise the peak 18-hole rate with a cart to $75 (previously $56) and adjust player-pass and tournament pricing to match market demand.
Young said the increases are intended to reduce reliance on general-fund support for course maintenance and to build capital reserves for future improvements. “We believe that we can get our golf rate up to $75 for 18 with a cart,” Young said in the meeting.
City staff described several detailed elements of the proposal: a higher tournament rate (presented as $85), a new all‑inclusive tournament package that would bundle golf, carts, lunch and limited drinks/gratuities, and revised daily walk/play pricing across weekdays, weekends and holidays. Staff also proposed limited dynamic pricing to avoid charging the peak rate during slow shoulder months.
On player passes — the programs for the courses’ most frequent users — staff said the city will keep a pass option but tighten quantities and pricing. City staff said passes have previously sold out quickly; the city capped passes at 1,500 last year (down from a prior cap of 2,000) and plans to keep a first‑come sale model, typically launching sales in late December for the season. Young said residents would be eligible for the resident play rate without paying the $300 pass fee but would need to show ID to receive the discounted rate.
When asked whether the fee changes will cover capital needs, Young said the increases are expected to build funds for capital work but “not all the capital,” and acknowledged some additional staffing costs tied to higher activity levels. At the meeting Young estimated an increase in course revenue described in the transcript as “between 3 and $400,000” per golf course and reported roughly 80,000 rounds across courses; the phrasing in the meeting was unclear on the lower bound and staff did not provide a corrected figure during the study session.
Staff said the city currently has one golf professional serving both courses and is hiring a second pro to support operations.
Next steps: staff presented the fee changes for council review; a formal ordinance and final vote to amend city code fees will be scheduled for a subsequent public meeting.
