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Rexburg council remands Teton Lakes clubhouse lease back to golf board after parking, smoker concerns
Summary
Council discussed conflicts between golf operations and a full restaurant at the Teton Lakes clubhouse — focusing on parking, a smoker that affected the pro shop and access for tournaments — and voted to send the matter back to the golf board for negotiation and evaluation.
The Rexburg City Council voted to remand the Teton Lakes clubhouse restaurant lease back to the city’s golf board for further review and negotiations after an extended discussion about parking, smoke odors and preserving golf uses.
City staff outlined the lease’s history and options, noting the clubhouse is operated from a governmental (subsidized) fund and has been leased to several contractors since 2018. Matt Nielsen, the city’s finance lead, told the council the choices include continuing the lease, operating a limited snack bar, the city running food service directly, or keeping weekend‑only hours. He recommended leasing as the lower‑risk option if the council’s priority is limiting fiscal exposure.
Council members said their primary concerns were loss of golf‑use space, competition for limited parking and a smoker unit that has created odor issues in the pro shop. A council member summarized the concern: “If there’s gonna be a smoker to me, that’s a deal‑breaker.”
Brady Gardner, who identified himself as the operator of blisters, told the council his business has operated a satellite location at the clubhouse and said he recently secured a Main Street site where he intends to move the smoker. “We would like to not have the smoker out there. We would like to move the smoker,” Gardner said, adding that catering for tournaments has been a helpful revenue stream.
Council members discussed contract provisions that could preserve golf access (for tournaments and club events), time‑limited parking stalls for short visits, and the possibility of writing use or catering exceptions into any future lease. Several members said retaining the clubhouse’s primary function for golfers should guide negotiations.
The mayor asked for a motion to remand the item to the golf board; the motion was made and seconded and passed on an affirmative voice vote with no recorded opposition. The council directed staff and council members to compile specific negotiation points (including parking allocation, smoker restrictions and reserved access for golf events) for consideration by the golf board.
Next steps: the item will return to the council after the golf board evaluates options and proposals and reports back to the city.
