Atchafalaya chairman gives report on golf course finances

Before Tuesday’s meeting of the St. Mary Parish Council got into full swing, Council Chairman Paul Naquin relinquished his seat.
Naquin said that due to “personal reasons” he chose to step down as chairman.
Dist. 10 at-large Councilman Gabriel Beadle was elected to the chair. Only at-large council members may serve as chairman.
Rudy Sparks, chairman of the Atchafalaya Golf Course Commission, then presented the panel’s budget and rate schedule for council approval.
Fees are unchanged, Sparks said.
The Kemper-Williams Foundation donated Idlewild Foundation, a 290-acre tract of land in Patterson in 1979. A $1 million fund was created to help defray operation of Kemper-Williams Park.
The parish council then charged the advisory committee to develop a plan for the park, including a golf course, Sparks said.
Over the next 20 years, funding sources and plans were developed. In 2002, Sparks said the parish was able to obtain $5 million from the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources’ Atchafalaya Basin Program for the course.
Parish government was able to use the donated land as in-kind match to the grant.
The golf course commission was created then, and it was designed and constructed.
The foundation agreed to pay $1.2 million for the golf course clubhouse, which opened in 2007.
The entire facility is worth $12 million or more, Sparks said.
Shortfalls at the course have long been a topic of debate. Sparks said total income from 2014-2017 has declined “in large part due to the downturn in the economy…it’s just a tough business right now.”
Golf course-related revenue last year was $820,000, and is up a bit this year at $850,000.
Walk-up green-fee play has declined slightly from $290,000 to $270,000.
Pass-holder revenue dropped by $15,000, though “ad-link” revenue was up by $20,000. Tournament revenue was up from $106,000 to $120,000. Sparks said tournament play is looking good for the upcoming year.
Special packages are also doing well for players.
Sparks said inclement weather had had a significant effect on golf play, both last year and this year. “We actually had 84 inches of rain last year,” he said. “This year we’re already at 60 inches.”
He said the golf course is so well-designed it drains very quickly.
The restaurant has also been effected, from $1.2 million to $1 million and then $900,000 at current.
Net revenue from the restaurant, which is leased out and returns five percent to the commission, was $50,000. The lease is responsible for operation and maintenance.
Overall, the golf course has provided $73,000 in sales taxes last year, $70,000 expected for the next period.
In operating expenses, Sparks said managers have reduced spending from $1.3 million down to $1.075 million since 2013.
“To do any more would be detrimental to the facility,” he said.
Operation of the golf course has continued to decline, by more than $200,000.
Sixty percent of players are from St. Mary Parish; 36 percent from the region, and 4 percent from out-of state, Sparks said. There is a very active high school golf program that uses the course, including a golf field day for high-schoolers.
The Louisiana High School Athletic Association held two regional golf tournaments at Atchafalaya.
Nicholls State University uses Atchafalaya as its home course and utilizes the facility regularly.
Sparks said yearly direct economic impact for St. Mary Parish is approximately $950,000 as calculated by formulas from the golf industry; and $5 million annually overall.
New visitors are “wowed” by the course, Sparks said, and in 2016 the course was named the second best golf course to play in the state.
A course in Raceland that opened in 2008 closed last year because it could not show a profit; one in New Iberia has closed some holes; one in Belle Chase closed; and another in Alexandria closed. “That’s good news and bad news,” Sparks said. “But the reality of it is the golf course has contracted, but the good news is that we’ll see an uptick in play.”