Parks Department Sinks Putt for Golf Course Renewal in Queens
By Tobias Salinger January 9, 2015 12:30 pm
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The Forest Golf Corp. has signed on for a second 20-year round running the Forest Park Golf Course in Queens for the city Department of Parks and Recreation, the agency announced this week.
The company, which also operates the Van Cortlandt Park Golf Course in the Bronx and has held the Forest Park concession since 1995, beat out two other bidders for the licensing agreement at the 110-acre, 67-par course, Parks officials said. The park abuts the Richmond Hill, Kew Gardens, Forest Hills, Glendale and Woodhaven neighborhoods.
The concessionairre’s minimum annual fee to the city will grow by 33 percent to $310,000 this year from $232,500 in 2014, and Forest Golf officials pledged to hold youth golf clinics and family golf outings for parents and their kids as part of the agreement, the officials noted.
“The Forest Park Golf Course is a great amenity for residents of Queens and all New Yorkers,” said Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski in a prepared statement. She added, “We’re happy to announce that, as part of this contract, the concessionaire will be making upgrades to the facility’s clubhouse, ensuring that the golfing experience in this flagship park remains above par.”
The company’s minimum fees to the city will grow every five years as part of the contract, according to a public notice announcing the agreement. Forest Golf will pay at least $335,000 per year starting in 2020, $365,000 every year beginning in 2025 and $395,000 annually once 2030 rolls around, the document says. If revenue percentages from green fees, cart rentals, the course’s snack bar and other sources eclipse those figures, the company will pay more.
Representatives for Forest Golf Corp. didn’t respond to requests for comment.
