County Executive Leggett on Sligo Creek Golf Course

July 29, 2009

Valerie Ervin, County Council, District 5
Marc Elrich, County Council, At-Large
Montgomery County Council
100 Maryland Avenue
Rockville, Maryland 20850

Dear Councilmembers Ervin and Elrich:

Thank you for your inquiries and discussion regarding possible solutions for the Sligo Creek Golf Course. As you are well aware, the Sligo Creek Golf Course is scheduled to close on October 1st of this year unless action is taken to preserve this facility for use by the local community and all County residents. In previous discussions with the County Council, the Revenue Authority has indicated that, without substantial capital investments, they do not believe this golf course has the potential for ever becoming self sufficient. For this reason, the Revenue Authority has requested and the Council has approved a change to the lease agreement with the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) to return responsibility for this golf course back to M-NCPPC.

After careful consideration on this matter and feedback I have received from you and a variety of community leaders, I believe we should again review our options before proceeding to close this golf course. Specifically, I will request that the County Council provide a supplemental appropriation to fund continued operations of the facility for no more than the next 24 months while we review other options to make this facility self-supporting for the long term. While this approach will continue temporarily the operation of the golf course, we need to avoid imposing these costs on the Revenue Authority or M-NCPPC for the continued operation of a facility with conditions that prevent it from becoming profitable.

I will shortly form a task force with representatives of the local community, Revenue Authority, M-NCPPC, and County Government who will identify and develop options for the continued, self-sustaining operation of the Sligo Creek Golf Course. I would welcome the Council's participation in this Task Force as well. I believe by collaboratively working together we can identify the appropriate solutions for maintaining this golf course in a self sustaining manner into the future.

Sincerely,

Isiah Leggett
County Executive

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cc: Phil Andrews, President, County Council
Roger Berliner, County Council
Nancy Floreen, County Council
Mike Knapp, County Council
George Leventhal, County Council
Nancy Navarro, County Council
Duchy Trachtenberg, County Council
Kathleen Boucher, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer
Keith Miller, Executive Director, Revenue Authority
Royce Hanson, Chair, Montgomery County Planning Board