News last Wednesday in Post’s Local ‘B’ section: “Developer to pour $86 million into reviving West Palm golf course”.

But first. . . recently came across this historic image of the C-51 Canal and West Palm Beach. In the distance one can see Dixie Hwy.

This view is prior to construction of the S-155 Spillway structure. Bottom left you can see a man fishing from what is now called Spillway Park in the City of Lake Worth. ‘Back in the day’ Mr. Buddy Tuppen and Mr. Jay Fearnley used to go fishing in that very same spot.  

Following the news from reporter Tony Doris, below is a blog post from this blog on July 20th, 2017 about,

West Palm Beach City Commission considers RFPs for “Lease and Development” of Municipal Golf Course and nearby properties

Below is a quote from this article by Tony Doris that made the print edition this week but, unfortunately, that news from West Palm Beach got trumped by another story with a blaring headline on page A1, above the Post’s masthead concerning the mayor in the Town of Lantana,

“COMPLAINT: MAYOR WANTED
SEX FOR VOTE”.

Anyhow, without further ado, the quote from
Mr. Doris’ article,

“I’m looking forward to seeing how this all comes out in the end, because it’s going to be an important investment for the south end but it’s very important for the whole city that we have a municipal course,” City Commissioner Shanon Materio said Tuesday [Feb. 13th].

And here’s more information from Mr. Doris:

Among the key changes for area residents and users of the course:

• The badly deteriorated greens would be brought back to life, in what a city release called “a sympathetic restoration.” The course would be closed to golfers during the project.
• The layout of about 16 of the 18 holes would remain unchanged.
• The entrance to the course would shift from Forest Hill and Parker Avenue to the south, off South Dixie Highway at Gregory Road, along the C-51 canal that borders Lake Worth. [emphasis added]

Now. Let’s take a stroll back to July 20th, 2017.

A blog post on this blog that was titled,

Do you live in WPB’s South End? Lake Worth’s North End? Stay tuned for some very big news.

West Palm Beach City Commission considers RFPs for “Lease and Development” of Municipal Golf Course and nearby properties (196 acres total).

The West Palm Beach City Commission, sitting as the “Golf Commission”, was tasked with addressing the Golf Advisory Committee report that,

“[P]reviously reviewed and commented on the responses [to the RFPs]. Procurement Staff provided the Golf Advisory’s collective summary comments to Golf Commission on June 1, 2017. The complete proposal packages for all three (3) proposers were delivered to the Commission on April 10, 2017 for review.”

Large crowd. View of attendees from the public:

Use this link to look over RFP 16-17-209. Due date March 30th, 2017.

This is almost 200 acres and lies along the northern border of the C-51 Canal. Its location is in close proximity to the City of Lake Worth and its redevelopment could usher in a series of ramifications — mostly positive — for the northern part of Lake Worth (e.g., College Park) and improve conditions along North Dixie Hwy as well.

Coincidentally, also in the City of Lake Worth yesterday, the Meritage Homes’ “Lake Cove” housing project passed unanimously on First Reading at the Lake Worth City Commission. Both of these projects dovetail perfectly with the Blueway Trail project.

Click on image to enlarge. Note the “West Palm Beach Golf Course” in relation to the C-51 Canal:

FYI: You’re going to be hearing about a property in West Palm Beach, city-owned, called “8111”. An empty lot on Dixie Hwy. along the C-51 Canal, east of the FEC tracks, south of Winn-Dixie.

It is important to stay informed about what is being proposed, and the extent of what will happen in the general area, not only on the golf course property. The city of WPB also owns the nearly 7-acre vacant property (“8111”) where the former International House of Pancakes restaurant once stood and before that, the Choice Restaurant Equipment store.

Yesterday at 3:00, the West Palm Beach City Commission met in a special meeting as the
Golf Course Commission.

The dais: West Palm Beach City Commission.

I attended the meeting with my video camera and expect to see the presentations of the respondents to the RFP shortly on my YouTube Channel. At the top of the photo below, you can see the three respondents identified and an outline how the presentations would proceed.

The “Golf Commission’s” duty was to rank the respondents and choose which one to go forward with in further negotiations. That they did and the result was surprising. It turns out the first two respondents (see photo above) tied, both receiving the same score. The City Commission can now negotiate with the two groups.

The third presenter ranked last in all of the commissioner and the mayor’s tally.

Prior to “Ranking”; the slide following

this one has the results.

The form used by Mayor Jeri Muoio and commissioners Shanon Materio, Paula Ryan, Keith James, Cory Neering and Sylvia Moffett.

From 1 (top choice)–3 (worst choice). The results:

That’s enough for today. Hope you found this information helpful. This is very complex and exciting regional news. The City of Lake Worth, residents and political leadership, need to be helpful and supportive as the city of WPB works through this process.



Enjoy the video!