West Bridgewater, Mass. held a celebration to mark its takeover of River Bend CC, and a judge’s ruling has given officials in Hempstead, Long Island, N.Y., control of Lido GC, after its contract with Double Eagle Golf expired.
The purchase of River Bend Country Club by the town of West Bridgewater, Mass. was made technically and symbolically complete, The Enterprise News of Brockton, Mass. reported, when a ceremony was held at the club on June 2 to celebrate the town’s takeover of the property.
Members of the West Bridgewater Board of Selectmen met with Jason Doherty, the owner of Johnson Golf Management, and Gerry Cosby, the former owner of the golf course, for an event that featured the signing of handover documents and a passing-of-the-keys ceremony from the current owners to the selectmen, The Enterprise News reported. Town officials and Johnson Management Co. managers then teed off and took the first swings on the newly acquired course.
Residents voted at a special town meeting on April 20 to authorize the town to purchase the 167-acre River Bend golf course and clubhouse for about $4.5 million, and also approved the hiring of the Johnson Management Co. to oversee the course’s day-to-day operations, The Enterprise News reported.
In Nassau County, N.Y., a Supreme Court judge ruled that officials of Hempstead, Long Island, N.Y. could take control of Lido Golf Club in Lido Beach, N.Y. on June 3, Newsday reported.
Judge Timothy S. Driscoll made the ruling while denying a request for a temporary restraining order from the current golf course operators, Double Eagle Golf, Newsday reported. Driscoll ruled that the town has the authority to resume control of the club at the end of Double Eagle’s contract, which expired on June 3.
Double Eagle’s attorney had argued that the management firm was owed about half of $1.5 million in repairs that were made following Superstorm Sandy in 2012, Newsday reported. The town did not cover any repairs following the storm, but had instead waived nearly $800,000 in licensing fees to operate the golf course.
Hempstead Town attorneys contended that Double Eagle failed to make $2.1 million in capital improvements since it took control of the golf course 20 years ago, Newsday reported.
Double Eagle’s Jericho, N.Y.-based attorney, Joshua Hecht, said that Double Eagle bonded out repairs when it took control of the course in 1997 and continued upkeep on the golf course for the next 20 years after its contract with the town was twice renewed.
The town ordered payment of $362,911 in February for back payment of licensing fees and then closed outside bids, Newsday reported.
“At no point during Double Eagle’s 20-year tenure, did the town send any correspondence indicating anything less than their satisfaction with their performance,” Hecht said.
The court also ruled that Double Eagle will not suffer any damages because the town ordered the golf course not to schedule any events after the contract expires, Newsday reported.
Hempstead Town officials said Lido GC will close for about two weeks while the town takes over, and it is expected to reopen June 18 to host charity events, Newsday reported.
The judge suggested that patrons dissatisfied with the town’s golf course operation “seek redress through the political process, or by perhaps filing an appropriate legal action,” Newsday reported.
The next preliminary conference on the case is scheduled for June 23.
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