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Obetz residents push back on proposed Obetz Athletic Club fee changes; public hearing set for May 26
Summary
City staff say the Obetz Athletic Club is losing about $250,000 a year and propose higher membership and simulator fees; multiple residents told council the simulator charges and event parking would restrict use. Council did not vote and scheduled a public hearing for May 26.
Council heard extended public comment May 11 on proposed changes to membership and usage fees at the Obetz Athletic Club (OAC), including new charges for golf simulators, and scheduled a public hearing on the proposals for May 26.
City Administrator Rod Davisson reviewed the plan and the financial rationale, saying there has been no rate increase "since the OAC was built" and that "the OAC loses approximately $250,000 per year," and adding that equipment investments — including new simulators — and the failure of a recent safety levy have tightened the budget. "If Council wants the facility to continue to operate, they need to adjust the rates," Davisson said.
Several long-time patrons urged Council to limit the impact on regular users. Resident Dan Raver said he "uses the OAC twice a day" and asked whether event revenue from Fortress Obetz helps fund the OAC; Mayor Angela Kirk replied that event revenue "is not huge and all the money goes into a single pot." Greg McDowell argued simulator charges should be per person for practice users and proposed a rate structure, saying residents "should be charged $10 per hour per person and non-residents should pay double." Robert Windsor, who said he has been an OAC patron for four years, warned that some members he spoke with "would go somewhere else" if fees rise and suggested a membership tier that includes simulator access.
City staff and council members discussed scheduling, maintenance, and the constraints that Fortress Obetz events create for parking and access; Davisson said the City cut over $600,000 from the budget and that program costs must increase to maintain services. Council members and residents debated public notice and the two-hour reservation blocks the City is proposing for simulator use.
No vote was taken on Ordinance 27-26 (the membership fee schedule); Davisson emphasized this was a second reading and council "did not have to vote on anything tonight." Council set a public hearing on the matter for the May 26 meeting, when the ordinance and fee schedule will be open for formal comment and potential vote.
