Tempe golf course owner says redevelopment plans will not change, explains why
Owner of shuttered Tempe golf course speaks out
For weeks, residents around a shuttered golf course in the East Valley have been complaining about dying grass and the smell of dead fish, and now, the property's owner apologized for the conditions, but said her plans aren't changing. FOX 10's Steve Nielsen reports.
TEMPE, Ariz. - For weeks, residents around Shalimar Golf Course in Tempe have been complaining about the smell of dead fish and dying grass.
While the owner has apologized in an exclusive interview, she also said her plans aren’t changing.
The backstory:
Per our last report, the golf course closed for good in April, and the owners are working to sell to a developer and build more than 200 homes.
When the water stopped at the facility, the problems began.
"It’s dying," Kathleen Ross said, about the course and its wildlife.
"The pond is completely dried up," Allan Ross said.
From above, one can see the grass is dying. It’s actually a similar sight to what Shalimar Golf Course looked like 40 years ago, when Jane Neuheisel and her husband, Dick, bought it.
"We bought it and brought it back to life, so we saved Shalimar back in 1984," said Jane.
The other side:
Residents around Shalimar are upset with the Neuheisels for trying to sell to a developer.
"It’s going to destroy the neighborhood," said Trudy Mussigman with Save Shalimar.
"Our back are against the wall, we put everything into it, and we’re out of money," Neuheisel said.
Neuheisel said they tried to save the course.
"The course has been for sale for 10 years," she said. "We have not had one, even one inquiry about keeping it at the golf course."
Neuheisel said when her husband died in March, she lost focus on the course.
"I apologize for not being on top of that, to be honest," she said.
She said she can’t turn the water back on while the developer gets approval. It would cost her $30,000 every month.
"Nobody is gonna miss it more than our family, and so I think it’s time to really study the facts and what he needs and move on," Neuheisel said.
Expert Weighs In:
"I don’t think you can generate revenue out of that golf course sufficient to warrant continuing with it as a golf course. It’s basic urban economics," said Mark Stapp, the Fred E. Taylor Professor of Real Estate at ASU.
ASU real estate professor Mark Stapp said with the housing shortage in the valley, the land is just in too much demand.
"As painful as it might be for those immediately adjacent, it’s the best thing for the entire region that you have this kind of redevelopment occurring," Stapp said.
What's next:
After two public hearings, the developer is now finalizing plans for the project.
There is no work yet on when the Tempe City Council will review a zoning change.