The city of Thornton has embarked on a $400,000 overhaul of the Thorn Creek Golf Course, after the course’s Dallas-based manager ran into financial difficulties and was unable to maintain the facility.
The city-owned course was being managed by Evergreen Alliance Golf Ltd., but the Dallas company was in “some level of financial distress,” according to officials.
An audit revealed the company was not maintaining the course.
The city took over management of Thorn Creek in early April, closed the course for two weeks and spent about $188,000 for repairs and cleanup, city spokesman Todd Barnes said.
A total of $400,000 has been budgeted for future repairs and improvements, Barnes said.
“We are definitely going to run it through the end of this year,” he said.
Thorn Creek Golf Course, off East 136th Avenue and Washington Street, opened about 20 years ago and is the only city-owned golf course in Thornton.
Since it opened, the 18-hole course has generated about $1.6 million in revenues for the city, said Mike Soderberg, executive director of community services for the city of Thornton.
The city is using money raised from fees at the course to help pay for the enhancements, Soderberg said.
About $200,000 was budgeted to install new turf seed and spruce up the overall appearance of the fairways and cart paths.
Another $200,000 is being spent to fix up the clubhouse and resurface the parking lot, Soderberg said.
“People will see huge improvements in the quality out there,” he said. “They’ll have a much better golf experience.”
