BRIGANTINE — In an attempt to move back into profitability at the city-owned golf course, Brigantine City Council approved a shared services agreement with the Atlantic County Improvement Authority for management of Brigantine Golf Links at its Dec. 2 meeting.
The agreement covers both management and maintenance related to the course, which is expected to end the year over $300,000 in the red.
“For approximately the first 10 years, the course operated without any subsidies from the Brigantine taxpayers,” said Mayor Philip Guenther Guenther said. “It was able to not only make its revenue to cover all expenses, but it also paid the debt service on the bonds that were floated to buy the golf course.”
Guenther said the golf course will make enough money to cover its operating budget this year, but not the debt service.
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Under Brigantine’s current contract with Meadowbrook Golf, which has managed the golf course since the city bought it over a decade ago, the city was paying $6,000 a month. That contract ends at the end of this year.
After one unsuccessful attempt earlier this year at finding a lessee for the course, Brigantine sought the help of the nonprofit ACIA, which manages the county’s Green Tree Golf Course in Egg Harbor Township.
“They have golf professionals on board that will be working with the employees at the Brigantine Golf Links,” Guenther said. “They have a very impressive record with Atlantic County.
“We are looking forward to the same type of performance in Brigantine,” he said.
Guenther said the agreement with ACIA will reduce the golf course’s operating budget by $100,000 and will include some joint purchasing opportunities. He said the city is hoping to retain many of the employees at the golf course.
“We also hope that we will raise some revenue with the food and beverage,” he said.
The 18-hole, 72 par course Brigantine Golf Links was built in 1927. Brigantine purchased the then-profitable golf course in 2002 for $4.3 million using $800,000 in state Green Acres funding. In 2007, the course was in its peak of profitability, bringing in $2 million. However, since the recession and Hurricane Sandy, its finances have been in distress.
Another resolution adopted Dec. 2 authorized the city to go out to bid for operation and management of the food and beverage concession at the Brigantine Golf Links, currently operating as Morgan’s Pub and Grill.
Mike Morgan, who owns Mad Dog Morgans, took over food service at the golf course in April, paying Meadowbrook an annual service fee and also paying the city $1,000 a month for utilities.
Guenther said that the new food and beverage operator would pay the city directly, so it had to go out to bid for the services. He said he hopes that Morgan submits a proposal to continue operating the facility.
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