James D. Taylor will likely enter into a three-year lease agreement to operate the Grill on the Hill restaurant at the Worcester, Mass., golf course. In Belle Plaine, Minn., the shuttered Valley View Golf Course could have a new owner by next spring, as the current owner is accepting bids for the property.
The city of Worcester, Mass., is seeking to enter into a three-year contract with the new operators of the food and beverage concessions at the municipal Green Hill Golf Course, which includes operating the Grill on the Hill restaurant, the Worcester-based Telegram & Gazette reported.
City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. is seeking authorization from the City Council to enter into a three-year lease agreement with James D. Taylor for those services. The agreement, which begins January 1, includes an option for an additional three one-year extensions for years 2019, 2020 and 2021, the Telegram & Gazette reported.
Taylor, who was one of two people to bid on the contract, has more than 40 years of experience in the restaurant industry. Under the terms of the lease, Taylor will be required to make the following annual lease payments: $30,000 in year one, $35,000 in year two and $40,000 in year three and for any subsequent extension years. In addition to the base lease payments, he has agreed to pay the city a percentage of the gross sales—an average of 2.6 percent over the first three years, the Telegram & Gazette reported.
Annual food and beverage revenues generated at the golf course are estimated to be about $500,000, the Telegram & Gazette reported.
While the current restaurant operator at Green Hill has been very successful at that location for the past five years, he decided not to pursue a new lease in order to concentrate on his other business interests, according to Paul J. Moosey, commissioner of public works and parks. Moosey said the request-for-proposals for the Green Hill food and beverage concessions was widely promoted to businesses throughout Worcester County, but only two bidders stepped forward, the Telegram & Gazette reported.
“While the restaurant community showed quite a bit of interest, the city received just two proposals,” Mooney said. “After taking into consideration price and all other evaluation criteria, the most advantageous proposal was selected.”
The leased space consists of a grill room area with seating for 53, along with use of the deck and additional seating for 138, and a function room with a seating capacity of 70. Additional space includes the kitchen and the golf course snack shack, located between holes 9 and 10 on the golf course. As part of the agreement, the new operator is required to maintain the name “Grill on the Hill” for the restaurant, the Telegram & Gazette reported.
In Belle Plaine, Minn., the shuttered Valley View Golf Course could have a new owner by next spring, as the current owner is accepting bids on the land and buildings, the Belle Plaine Herald reported.
Sealed bids are due January 12, 2016. LeRoy and Connie Chard, the majority owners of the golf course are retaining the right to reject any bid. The bids could lead to discussions that could result in a sale, said Randy Kubes, owner of Kubes Realty, the real estate company handling the sale, the Herald reported.
There is no minimum requirement for a successful offer and bidders have three options to consider, Kubes said. They are:
- The clubhouse/restaurant and three or four acres for $899,000;
- The shop and pole shed, a dozen acres and one building eligibility for $299,900;
- The 149.03 acres, the clubhouse/restaurant, shop and pole shed for $2.5 million.
Chard is selling land alone for $15,000 per acre, depending on the amount of acres purchased. Someone buying a larger block of land will likely pay less than $15,000 per acre, Kubes said. Scott County valued the 149.03 acres and the 4,500-sq. ft. building for taxation purposes at $1.93 million. The county’s valuation of the property has not changed in three years, the Herald reported.
Chard has heard there is interest in the golf course but has not received an offer to purchase it, Kubes said. By accepting sealed bids, any potential buyer has an equal opportunity to purchase some or all of the property, he said. “He wants to hear from anyone who can come to the table with a real offer,” Kubes said.
The offer to submit bids is not intended to spawn a new housing development and is not expected to trigger a request for annexation of the land from Belle Plaine Township into the city. Kubes said there is currently not enough demand for a new housing development in the city. Any purchase based on plans to develop the land for residential property must win the approval of the township and Scott County, Kubes said. Chard wants to see the building utilized, Kubes said. The building offers several possibilities, the Herald reported.
An open house for anyone interested in the property is scheduled for December 27 in the clubhouse, the Herald reported.
Valley View Golf Course, built in 1991, spans 6,300 yards from the furthest tees. It was a par 71, 18-hole championship course. The clubhouse and pro shop building was built in 2001. The restaurant/lounge is also closed. The golf course was closed at the end of the 2014 season and did not reopen this year, the Herald reported.
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