HANDS OFF OUR GOLF COURSE!

One of the items discussed during the Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) meetings on the Casino complex was the concept of a cabana club membership. It would be part of the Casino and have its own pool and access to other amenities. It would occupy the location of the current pool, which would be replaced with a junior Olympic pool behind the existing Casino building (west).

Here is the general location of the Pool Cabana Club that was discussed:

Main Level of Addition to the south end of the Casino building, replacing the existing pool and pool locker building.

I will be posting more details/plans of the changes proposed during the ITN process. These were not included in the final recommendation to the City Commission. I think once seeing what was proposed and what it would mean as an amenity to the city, you might think that the Committee should have forwarded this proposal on to the Commission.

Here's how a membership program would work at the complex, in coordination with the Gulfstream Hotel:

The cabana pool club would also have a workout facility and a family of 4 could be a member for $100/month. That also would get them $500 of spending credit at the restaurant or the Gulfstream hotel ( net cost at $700/year). A couple would have $80/month with $250 of spending credit for the year (net cost at $710/year). A single person member would be $60/month with no spending credit or $720/year. This is comparable to any gym with these facilities that you would have available to you….especially at the beach in a great complex.

There are those in the city that "clutch the pearls" at the thought of "private development" at our "BEACH!", mostly pointing to the membership aspect of part of this proposal. WAKE UP! This is no different than, and even more favorable a deal, that what the city does when it sells a variety of "membership" options at our publicly-owned, waterfront golf course.

Below is a list of current golf course memberships available at the Lake Worth Municipal Golf Course. The number in parentheses at the end of the item is the number sold this current year:

• Resident of The City of Lake Worth (pay member fee per round) $895 (36)
• Non Resident Dues (pay member fee per round) $1325.00 (29)
• Resident Unlimited Dues $2425.00 (15)
• Non Resident Unlimited Dues $2875.00 (16)
• Resident Walking Only Dues $1250.00 (17)
• Non Resident Walking Dues $1650.00 (22)
• Junior Golf Member (Under 18 years of age) $150.00
• Summer Membership (May 1–September 30) (pay $20 cart fee per round) $400
• Seasonal $950.00 (pay member fee per round) (18)
• Member Fee (tax included) $20.00
• Annual Trail Fee $1450.00
• Trail Fee with Spouse $2150.00
• Annual Locker Fee $50.00
• Annual Bag Storage $75.00
• Annual Pull Cart Storage $100.00

So where is the OUTRAGE about the City selling memberships on our public property alongside the Intracoastal/Lake Worth Lagoon? These memberships do not prohibit the non-dues paying, general public from accessing the course.

So why is the concept of a membership "club" at the Casino/pool being treated as something foreign, different and as a method to "privatize our beach"?