The course was established in 1921 and designed by celebrated golf course architect A.W. Tillinghast.
ERIE, Pa. — Erie Golf Club could have a new owner by this time next year.
Erie County Judge Marshall Piccinini approved Millcreek Township’s petition Monday to sell the 160-acre, 18-hole public golf course. On Tuesday, township supervisors voted unanimously to seek an appraisal on the property, the next step in selling the golf course.
“Once we get the appraisal, we will begin the process to put a bid package together,” said Mark Shaw, township solicitor.
The appraisal will come from Golf Property Analysts, a Conshohocken-based company, and cost the township $15,000 with a $9,000 retainer.
The township has owned Erie Golf Club since 2009, when it acquired the course, located at 6050 Old Zuck Road, in a deal with the city of Erie. The course was established in 1921 and designed by celebrated golf course architect A.W. Tillinghast.
A private business, 7637 Enterprises, operates the course under a five-year contract that expires at the end of the 2024 golf season. The township receives $37,000 annually as part of the deal, but expects to run a deficit of about $160,000 on the Erie Golf Club over the five years due to costs related to repairs and other capital expenses.
In addition, the course needs millions of dollars worth of improvements, including a new irrigation system, according to Ashley Marsteller, the township’s director of parks and recreation. Marsteller testified during a hearing on the petition.
“Our current operations contract ends at the end of (next) year and that’s the date we are fixing on (for a sale to be completed),” Shaw said.
Proceeds from any sale of Erie Golf Course must be allocated to the township’s parks and recreation department and not placed in the township’s general fund, Piccinini said in his order approving the petition.
Designed in part by World Golf Hall of Famer A.W. Tillinghast, the course was established in 1921.
ERIE, Pa. — Citing a lack of financial resources, equipment and expertise, as well as the challenge of finding someone to operate it, Millcreek Township supervisors are attempting to sell the Erie Golf Club.
In a petition filed Oct. 20 in Erie County Common Pleas Court, the township is asking to sell the 18-hole course at 6050 Old Zuck Road to a private entity after the 2024 golf season.
“We’re not equipped to be in the golf course business,” Supervisor Kim Clear said. “We would like to sell the property so that we can invest that money into the already existing parks and recreation programs that we have.”
The township acquired the 160-acre course at 6050 Old Zuck Road in 2009 from the city of Erie as part of an agreement that allowed for the runway expansion of the Erie International Airport. In exchange for Erie Golf Club, the township gave up a portion of the now-six-hole Millcreek Golf & Learning Center at 3100 W. 17th St. A portion of the property was used to extend the airport’s runway.
But being in the golf-course business, Clear said, has not reaped many rewards. A private company can buy the course and run it properly, she said.
“Most municipalities in the commonwealth and throughout the nation have not found that they’re getting the return on the investment in it that they had hoped,” she said.
The petition was filed pursuant to a state law known as the Donated or Dedicated Property Act, which requires municipal governments to maintain the use of certain donated properties according to deed restrictions.
‘Continued viability’
Supervisors argue that the township is unable to meet the requirements of maintaining the property as a golf course and that it would be better served in the hands of a private company.
“The petitioners lack of knowledge and experience in operating and maintaining an 18-hole golf course — combined with the significant challenges it already has experienced and will continue to experience attempting to find an operator who would be willing to maintain and operate the golf course under a lease contract arrangement — threatens the continued use of the property as a golf course,” attorney Mark Shaw wrote in the petition. “A sale of Erie Golf Course would ensure the continued viability of the golf course in a manner consistent with the existing deed restrictions in place, but relieve (Millcreek Township) of the financial and administrative burdens that it has experienced since owning the golf course and eliminate the risk of failing to find a suitable operator for the golf course, which would impose more significant costs and burdens that petitioner is not equipped to assume.”
The township expects that it will incur at least $1.25 million in capital improvement costs at the course and another $1 million in equipment replacement costs over the next decade if the course is not sold. The course already operates at a loss for the township.
All the equipment used to maintain the course is provided by the operator. All of the equipment donated from the city to the township as part of the property swap in 2009 became unusable in 2019.
Supervisors also list the difficulty of finding a management company to operate the course, citing the previous operator’s decision not to renew its lease in 2019 and the township’s inability to attract more than one qualified course operator thereafter.
Designed in part by World Golf Hall of Famer A.W. Tillinghast, the Erie Golf Course was established in 1921. It is currently operated by 7637 Enterprises.
Clear said that if the township is permitted to sell the golf course it would then have the property appraised in order to set an asking price.
Matthew Rink can be reached at mrink@timesnews.com.
Milford Hospitality Group (MHG) has entered lease negotiations with the National Park Service (NPS) to operate the historic Cliff Park Inn & Golf Course in Dingman Township, Pike County, within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (DEWA).
The course has plenty of historic value as it is believed to be the first in the United States to be commissioned by a woman. Annie R. Buchanan was a widow who oversaw the building of the golf course at Cliff Park at the turn of the 20th Century. The farm fields at the old Buchanan homestead weren’t productive, so Buchanan hired golfer Frank Hyatt to turn her fields into fairways. In 1928, according to her grandson Harry Buchanan, Annie took a trip to China, alone. “She was not a woman to be pushed around,” Buchanan said.
In the early 1900s, when silent film companies visited Milford to make movies, the rugged cliffs in the area overlooking the Delaware River were used for scenes.
MHG plans to maintain a public golf course for all to enjoy the benefits and beauty of Cliff Park, restore and reopen the inn and restaurant, and offer other unspecified public amenities. The project, done in phases, is expected to create approximately 45 temporary full-time jobs during construction and once fully operational, provide around 25 full-time jobs at the resort.
The inn has been vacant since 2012 while the nine-hole golf course has continued to be operated by another lessee, whose lease expires this fall. The resort is accessed from Milford Road (SR 2001).
In January, the NPS issued a request for proposals for leases to take the entire property, including the golf course, inn, restaurant and other outlying buildings on the 54-acre site. According to MHG, the inn is dilapidated, and the golf course needs improvements and upgrades.
MHG hopes to become the operator of the golf course. Its plans are also to renovate and reopen the inn, restaurant, banquet center, pro shop and other outlying buildings.
“We are honored to have been chosen for this unique opportunity, which aligns perfectly with our mission to provide world-class entertainment experiences in Historic Milford, PA,” said William Rosado, president and owner of Milford Hospitality Group. “We look forward to engaging in fruitful negotiations with the National Park Service and are committed to complying with all NPS leasing regulations throughout the process.”
According to the NPS DEWA, there was an attempt in 2012 to lease the property, but there were no bidders then. “Without occupants the maintenance backlog accrued more quickly,” the NPS states. “There are nearly 700 other buildings at the park, 285 of which are historic, which compete for limited maintenance, funding, and staffing resources.”
In 2022, approximately 3,000 rounds of golf were played at Cliff Park.
A view from the tee box of hole No. 2 at Cliff Park Inn and Golf Course in Milford. Photo: POCONO RECORD
NPS purchased the Cliff Park Inn & Golf Course, and approximately 500 acres, in 2003 to protect the property from development.
About 60 years ago, Harry Buchanan, the former Cliff Park owner, made a promise to make it part of Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. If the property had been sold and developed for housing, the public would have lost access to the trails, the inn, and the golf course forever, the NPS states.
MHG is the owner and operator of historic inns, hotels, restaurants, bars, and event venues throughout Milford. This includes three hotels, Tom Quick Inn, Hotel Fauchère and La Posad; and six restaurants, Tom Quick Inn, Jive Bar & Lounge, Bar Louis, The Delmonico Room, La Posada & Felix’s Cantina, and Apple Valley Restaurant.
“MHG looks forward to continuing a close and cooperative relationship with the NPS throughout this process and under the potential new lease agreement,” the group’s press release states.
No position in sports is more important than the quarterback. Notre Dame is lucky that it will have a good one this season in [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag]. Though his services only will be for one year, the potential for him to have a history-making season is high. With that will come high expectations.
But how will Hartman measure up to the great Notre Dame quarterbacks of the past? For that, let’s turn to AI writing tool ChatGPT and see what it believes is a fair list for the top 10 men under center to play for the Irish.
Keep in mind that ChatGPT has this disclaimer:
“Ranking the top 10 quarterbacks in Notre Dame history is subjective and open to interpretation, as different eras and playing styles contribute to individual greatness. However, based on their impact on the program, statistical achievements, and team success, the following list represents 10 notable quarterbacks in Notre Dame’s storied history.”
And this one:
“Please note that this list is not exhaustive, and there are many other talented quarterbacks who have contributed to the Notre Dame football legacy. The rankings can vary depending on personal opinions and criteria used to evaluate their performances.”
On that, here is the list with some entries edited for clarity and accuracy:
[autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag] barely has his feet wet as Notre Dame coach, but he might just have obtained the easiest commit he will ever get in the job. [autotag]Braeden Shrewsberry[/autotag], his son, committed to playing for his dad in South Bend. He made it official Monday:
— Braeden Shrewsberry (@BraedenShrews) May 1, 2023
With Shrewsberry‘s prep career having just finished, he will join the Irish immediately. That will be a welcome sign to a program simply looking for bodies to fill the roster for the upcoming season. Yes, he’s another guard, and the Irish are looking for size in the worst way, but the priority right now is filling out the roster.
A story for summer road trippers… We recently made a trip down the Pennsylvania Turnpike, something we’d managed to avoid for years. It seems the turnpike is always under construction, and the tolls get higher. But it reminded me of the numerous …
A story for summer road trippers…
We recently made a trip down the Pennsylvania Turnpike, something we’d managed to avoid for years. It seems the turnpike is always under construction, and the tolls get higher. But it reminded me of the numerous trips we made as a family over the years, traveling from one point to the other.
As we drove, we watched for one of the old stone hospitality stations. Here’s why:
When the kids were little we’d do roadside picnics. They became a tradition—one born of budget constraints.
If we had a long road trip, we’d go to the farmer’s market and get deli meat and cheese, fresh bread, and chips. We’d pack the cooler with cans of soda, the deli food, fresh chocolate chip cookies, and plenty of ice to keep things cold.
Then, when it was time for a break, we’d find a roadside park or rest stop and pull it all out.
Gradually the budget increased and so did the kid’s appetite. Sandwiches no longer satisfied; they wanted fast food. That’s when we found Roy Rogers chicken along the Pennsylvania turnpike, and it became our go to place. We loved the crunchy breading and the always-hot and tender chicken inside.
You all probably have those types of places, those memories, in your mind. Your own family likely found a way to stretch the budget, a way to make travel doable, and a way to change your habits as needs changed. Food is what marks many of those moments of your life. Food brings back the scents, the tastes, and the happy faces enjoying themselves.
And that’s why, as we traveled the PA Turnpike recently, we stopped at a Roy Rogers and shared a two-piece box of chicken…and a memory or two.
A Pennsylvania hunter has upset some of his neighbors by hanging a deer from a tree outside his home and butchering the carcass in front of a middle school.
A Pennsylvania hunter has upset some of his neighbors by hanging a deer from a tree outside his home and butchering the carcass in front of a middle school.
“I got a grandchild just down the street, and I think it would really upset him to see a gutted deer hanging upside down in a front yard,” Gene James told CBS Pittsburgh.
The story mentions that other neighbors also expressed anger, but does not identify them.
One neighbor, Jodi Good, said, “My dad and my brothers are hunters, so I have no problem with it.”
Perhaps surprisingly, Lucas Smith, the hunter who lives across from Greensburg Salem Middle School, might have been the most upset of all.
Smith, who was processing the deer he bagged last week, told CBS Pittsburgh: “I feel terrible doing it in front of the school [but] this is where I live. I have no other choice.
“I have no other trees in my yard. If I did, I’d be doing it there.”
The report did not include input from faculty or students.
–White-tailed deer image courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Pennsylvania is full of highly ranked private clubs, while Pete Dye left his imprint at the top of the state’s public-access golf scene.
Want to play the best public-access golf courses in Pennsylvania? The legacy of legendary architect Pete Dye has you covered. Want to play the best private courses in the Keystone State? You have some of the top classic layouts in the country from which to choose, but for most of us, good luck getting a tee time at those ageless beauties.
Dye designed Mystic Rock at Nemacolin, a sprawling resort 90 minutes southeast of the Pittsburgh airport. Mystic Rock opened in 1995 and underwent an expansive renovation in 2021 by longtime Dye associate Tim Liddy. Built on beautifully rolling terrain, Mystic Rock is No. 1 in the state on Golfweek’s Best Courses You Can Play list for public-access layouts. It also ties for No. 10 among all courses owned or operated in conjunction with casinos in the U.S.
Nemacolin is also home to Shepherd’s Rock designed by Dye and the No. 5 public-access course in the state.
On the private side, Oakmont Country Club and Merion Golf Club steal much of the limelight, each having hosted multiple national championships. But they are hardly alone as outstanding private clubs in Pennsylvania. Each of the top 20 private courses in the state ranks among the top 150 on either Golfweek’s Best Modern or Classic course lists, with 1960 being the year that splits those two prestigious lists.
Golfweek’s Best offers many lists of course rankings, with that of top public-access courses in each state among the most popular. All the courses on this list allow public access in some fashion, be it standard daily green fees, through a resort or by staying at an affiliated hotel. If there’s a will, there’s a tee time.
(m): Modern course, built in or after 1960 (c): Classic course, built before 1960
Note: If there is a number in the parenthesis with the m or c, that indicates where that course ranks among Golfweek’s Best top 200 modern or classic courses.
Would you like to see this trio playing for the Irish? Of course you would.
It appears [autotag]Braylon James[/autotag], a four-star receiver commit for Notre Dame, is using Twitter to attract other recruits. Not long ago, James tweeted out a graphic anticipating a collegiate partnership with fellow Texas native [autotag]Jaden Greathouse[/autotag]. That must have worked to some degree because the Irish are one of four finalists for Greathouse. With some good mojo, James now is turning his attention to Pennsylvania’s [autotag]Rodney Gallagher[/autotag]:
The good news is Gallagher also has a strong interest in the Irish as they are among the eight finalists for him. Hopefully, James’ efforts will land him at least one of these two receivers as his teammate. For all we know, the three of them have been exchanging texts and calls planning how they will make their first entrance together at Notre Dame Stadium, thereby making these pending announcements mere formalities. It sure would be exciting to know exactly how tight they are, but that will remain a mystery for now.
Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.
ERIE, Pennsylvania — The former golf dome at Erie Sports Center is out of commission after the weekend snowstorm dumped nearly two feet of snow on the region.
The structure had a similar issue four years ago when Erie was slammed with a snowstorm over the 2017 Christmas holiday. The complex was then known as ErieBank Sports Park at that time.
The roof, which suffered a tear, is now deflated and on the ground.
Erie Sports Center co-owner Troy Bingham said he walked through the area with insurance representatives and repairmen on Wednesday to figure out the next steps toward fixing the roof and re-inflating it as soon as possible.
“There was too much ice and snow on the roof and too much pressure on the top,” he said. “As it came down, it came down slowly. It’s got a tear in it. We’ve got to repair the tear and get it back up.”
In October, Bingham told the Erie Times-News that the dome’s two-level driving range and miniature golf course have been removed, making space for three indoor soccer fields or two baseball or softball fields.
A story for summer road trippers…
