Highland Park Country Club to Remain Open

The following is from the City of Highland Park. What do you think of the decision?

Following a year of discussion, the City of Highland Park (City) and the Park District of Highland Park (Park District) announced today that the Highland Park Country Club (HPCC) 18-hole golf course, banquet hall and related facilities will remain open indefinitely under City ownership and management. The City and Park District agreed that this decision is in the best interest of the community.

The City acquired the HPCC in 1993 to maintain the public amenity. In 1996, the City and the Park District entered into an agreement which provided that the HPCC would be operated and maintained by the City until the bonds used by the City to purchase the HPCC were paid off in full in 2013, after which the Park District would have the opportunity to assume operation of the facility.

For more than two years, the Park District has engaged in a comprehensive planning process that resulted in, among other things, a recommendation that the Park District focus on one public golf course, Sunset Valley Golf Course, the District’s existing 18 hole golf course.

Following consideration and analysis, the City and Park District agreed on Monday, July 28, that the City would continue to operate the HPCC and that the Park District would not assume the operations of this facility.

“It was the goal of the Council to continue to have this popular amenity available to the community. In addition to public golf, the HPCC provides the only public banquet facility of its size as well as critical storm water management for nearby neighborhoods. We will continue to work collaboratively with the Park District on behalf of the community,” said Mayor Nancy Rotering.

“We did our investigation and research looking at both courses and after careful consideration the Park District determined that focusing our attention on Sunset Valley Golf Course and other Park District facilities and parks would best achieve the Park District’s goals and address the needs of the entire Highland Park community,” said Scott Meyers, President of the Board for the Park District of Highland Park.