“A huge win for our community”: Alachua County Commission votes unanimously to purchase West End Golf Course property for use as a park
BY JENNIFER CABRERA
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – At their May 28 Regular Meeting, the Alachua County Commission voted unanimously to purchase an option to buy the West End Golf Course for $3.8 million and eventually develop it as a County park.
During the staff presentation, Deputy County Manager Tommy Crosby said that Viking Companies has an option to purchase the property, and the proposal before the board was to reimburse costs already paid by Viking and commit to the costs of purchasing the land using Wild Spaces and Public Places funds.
Commissioner Anna Prizzia thanked staff for their work and for “recognizing that that land is recreation and should remain recreational… but also now to get a park in an area that severely needs it and to support the goals of the neighbors that surround the area to have a robust and beautiful park and recreation in their backyard… I’m also excited that it can serve a dual purpose and that it will be a place that we can upgrade in partnership with the World Masters program so that we can provide robust resources, not just for that event, but hopefully for many, many other events to come, which will help our economic development and tourism and bring in more of those Wild Spaces Public Places dollars that allow us to do these great parks to begin with.”
Motion
Prizzia made a motion to approve the purchase, and Commissioner Chuck Chestnut seconded the motion.
Cornell: “This is in our Master Plan. It is a big part of a huge need in this area.”
Commissioner Ken Cornell agreed that the first step was making sure that the property stays recreational and continued, “This is in our Master Plan. It is a big part of a huge need in this area… What resources are we going to put in, in addition to the resources that presumably will be coming related to the… World Masters, which is a whole ‘nother discussion?”
Crosby said the first step will be remediation of the golf cart repair and chemical storage areas, and the next step would be to determine how much of the park will be used for active or passive recreation. He also said the timing of any improvements would depend on any license agreement with World Masters Athletics (WMA).
Commissioner Marihelen Wheeler said, “I support the motion. You have that park on your side of the county, and I had Cuscowilla on the other side and a vision that went with it… The Masters was kind of an impetus to get us moving back in that direction.” She supported the idea of building a Senior Center on the property.
County Manager Michele Lieberman said staff will have to bring a new Planned Development for the site to the board, and community engagement will be part of that process. She said the County will start cleaning up the site and demolishing buildings in the near future, and a license agreement for the World Masters will come before the board, but “that does not require any significant modification that would prevent future parks use for our needs. And we would make sure that it didn’t.”
Alford: “We’d be purchasing [this property], anyway.”
Wheeler mentioned that the World Masters event will use the property for a cross country course, and Chair Mary Alford responded that there are other sites that could be used for that, and “we’d be purchasing [this property], anyway.”
Alford asked about the price history of the property, and Lieberman said staff was previously given a price of $6 million, but the County will now pay $3.8 million.
Public comment
During public comment, several neighbors of the site expressed their support for turning the property into a park instead of a commercial or residential development; the County Commission previously voted against a proposed residential development in October 2022. Tamara Robbins supported buying the property but objected that “time is always of the essence” when it comes to the World Masters event.
After public comment, Crosby said there is a deadline on the option to purchase the property, but all of the services to clean up the property have been “properly procured.” He added that all of the due diligence steps are taking place.
Prizzia: “I would make this motion today if the World Masters didn’t exist, and I would make it tomorrow and the next day and the next day because we need parks out there, and this is a perfect site for it.”
Prizzia pointed out that “a lot of the due diligence is actually being reimbursed to the option contract buyer in this motion.” She added that State funding for the cross country course for the World Masters Indoor Championships would “be a boon to the park… for infrastructure to be invested on that property. That would be a permanent investment in a property for a one-time event.” She said she hoped the course would attract other events, “but I would make this motion today if the World Masters didn’t exist, and I would make it tomorrow and the next day and the next day because we need parks out there, and this is a perfect site for it.”
Cornell agreed, saying the purchase is “a huge win for our community”; he thanked “our partner Viking for actually getting us to where we are today… Without them doing all of that, we’d be six to eight months behind.”
Viking Companies owner Svein Dyrkolbotn said his company had received “State dollars for the WMA, which includes infrastructure dollars to prepare a property for the venue that we need for the World Masters… I just want to set the record that Viking Companies is not in bankruptcy.” He said he hoped the World Masters would come back in 2027, but he wanted to see “what the 2025 event is all about” first. He said there may be other international events that would be interested in the venue.
Vote
The motion to purchase the property passed unanimously.
Homeowners around the golf course site who never paid what it should cost to own property next to a protected landscape must be doing high 5’s! County taxpayers through their thoroughly disreputable representatives just majorly magnified their property values!
So I guess you just had to find a way to be negative about this decision?
Actually, no, I just commented on a decision by the laughable and disreputable Alachua County Commissioners, who hopefully will soon be looking for new ways to wokely grift, grind and grovel without doing so on the taxpayer tab.
This will be a bottomless pit devouring tax dollars.
See: Ironwood, which I guess never brought up.
Well, Alachua County does not own Ironwood. The City of Gainesville does. So….
Well the land hasn’t changed from recreational to a conservation zone, so how does a park, which will be built on the land that remains zoned for recreational, improve property values?
As a contractor in the area, I am 100% for this. This land could have added 150 homes in the area that I would have had to compete with to sell the ones I build. Thank goodness our county commissioners are looking out for big business and keep additional competition off the market. I would have had to lower my home prices if this land was used for more housing. So, a big thank you to our county commissioners for helping me fill my pockets by keeping housing prices high in Alachua County.
Hope residents have their lubricant ready…their property taxes just went up.
I would like to sell my property for a conservation easement or green space. I’ll even settle for for the locally established appraisal.
The majority of voters in Alachua County are idiots.
Why do you care? Either you do not live in Alachua County or you have the grammar skills on a toddler. In either case, it doesn’t impact your world at all. WSPP sales tax covers the purchase and upkeep through 2032, as the article clearly states.
I understand your lack of common sense much better than you understand properties taken off the tax rolls.
Bright side, you’re one of that majority mentioned.
What happens after 2032?
I’m not the one sticking my nose in the business of another county in which I have no financial obligation!!! The property was never zoned residential, commercial or industrial. The property is recreational and will remain recreational. So, Mr. H&R Block, what “properties taken off the tax rolls”? Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll find something else to gripe about, in a county in which you do not live in, long before 2032.
I live in this blue dump! You can not be so ignorant as to not realize that private property being bought buy the low life’s ruining the county will not con off the tax roles! You people are so brainwashed by your idiotology it’s pathetic!
well those ‘low lifes” will still have to pay property taxes if they buy property. What is your point?
No genius, if the county “buys” the property, it doesn’t pay taxes on it! The low life’s piss away taxes on it!
Bet you are proud of your 430 credit score too! Dumbing it down for you. Parks attract homebuyers. National Association of Realtors shows more than half of homebuyers say they’d choose a home that was close to parks and open space over one that was not and are willing to pay 10% more for that home. Parks increase property values by double digits in communities that invest in parks. Parks host festivals, concerts and athletics events, bringing tourists and visitors who spend money at local restaurants, hotels and stores and pay local bed and sales tax, which offset any loss of property tax on land owned by the county. Even con-led communities understand the value of parks. Neighboring Marion County has twice the number of parks than Alachua County.
Aww, you think a pathetic insult means something to me? I couldn’t care less what you call me, I’m not a pathetic leftist that cares what other people think or the words they direct my way!
That area is already attractive to buyers genius! There is a dam park a mile and a half away on cr241 and another 2 miles away on 122/parker road!
Wait… where are all those events you type of happing at the parks in Gainesville? I read the news daily, I don’t read about any of those events going on in the blue dumps parks!
I couldn’t care less what Marion county has or does! Hilarious you bring up another county when you were running your pathetic suck at someone else about them chiming in on alachua county! Talk about being a degenerate!
ohhh! Looks like a hit a fragile nerve with facts. Need a safe space to stroke your arms, rock back and forth while telling yourself how “horrible” things are in a thriving county? So quick to toss out the names. I’d expect you’d last a little longer with some cut and paste manifesto items you claim as you own. No worries. The name-calling begins is when you have zero left to contribute to society.
So, you have nothing other than being a pathetic pos? I treat you trash with the same disrespect you trash treat others!
Yes, they can be. Given their comments, they are.
You still here?
You may want to stop while you’re as close behind as you are…the commissioners will have to pull your head out before they take a dump.
The County doesn’t tax itself. When the County or State purchases or acquires properties, they don’t tax themselves.
Looks like someone knows where Common Sense’s nose is.😀
Thanks, Mr. Obvious! the post was referring to people, not the entity of the county. But parks attract homebuyers. National Association of Realtors shows more than half of homebuyers say they’d choose a home that was close to parks and open space over one that was not and are willing to pay 10% more for that home. Parks increase property values by double digits in communities that invest in parks. Parks host festivals, concerts and athletics events, bringing tourists and visitors who spend money at local restaurants, hotels and stores and pay local bed and sales tax, which offset any loss of property tax on land owned by the county. Even con-led communities understand the value of parks. Neighboring Marion County has twice the number of parks than Alachua County.
Once again, it’s obvious where your nose is.
How can I make this easy for you?
Property owned by tax paying entity…
Property purchased/given to non-tax paying entity…
Non-tax paying entity has expenses in perpetuity related to acquired property…
Budgetary requirements still needed to meet costs associated with acquisition…
Loss of the prior tax revenue of non-exempt seller has to be found…
Taxes via residents are the one constant.
When Covid hit, tourism and other variable sources of income went down, (don’t count the government handouts – that’s not sustainable.)
I must mention your hypocrisy is quite apparent as well. As others have noted, would have made a great location for some affordable homes. What’s the problem, too close to your home?
BWHAHAHA! Your ignorance is that you assume that only property owners pay taxes in the county. You keep overlooking that developers attempted to change the property from recreation unsuccessfully. You can toss numbers like you toss salad and it doesn’t change the fact that the zone classification of recreational, and therefore taxing rate, is not changing. So rather the property sit dormant and remain tax exempt as it has since 2015, the county purchases the land (for $2 million less than current seller paid) to develop in accordance with its recreational zoning limits, which will attract people and business that DO pay taxes, as already mentioned in my previous post. These are facts that are confirmed with every, single park and attraction in this county, in this state and this country. While you view the park as a tax burden, those with more than a tv education know that parks generate revenue from visitors and related businesses that more than cover the costs you whine about.
I didn’t assume anything. I know you lack common sense, it’s apparent and you definitely aren’t doing yourself any favors.
In one comment you say it doesn’t add value and a bit later you say it does. Even buyers are “paying 10% more” for properties near parks.
Maybe you have difficulties like others of late…
Boy 🚹
Girl 🚺
Hope that helps.
You low life trash are always running your sucks at someone else about how dumb they are! Serious question, why is it that you “highly educated” trash always vote for some else to pay for your pathetic lives? No ones cares how smart you think you are, it’s clear by your voting that you are dependent on low life government thugs in order to successfully navigate life!
“Well the land hasn’t changed from recreational to a conservation zone, so how does a park, which will be built on the land that remains zoned for recreational, improve property values?”
You answered your own question – twice. The internet is a wonderful thing.
Yep, I stated that! Seems your only skill is to cut and paste. However I was a question to the original post, not making a statement. See that squiggly line above a dot at the end of the sentence….that’s a question mark. Section 193.501, F.S., states lands deemed conservation and non-commercial recreation, are one in the same when it comes to taxation. So to dumb it further down to you….property assessment on lands zoned “conservation” and “recreational” are one in the same. It is a rhetorical question.
Well at least you have the sense to try and save face, despite the thorough indoctrination you’ve been subjected to.
There’s no question about your need to change your moniker though. You lack common sense.
I find whatever cons like you label others and accuse them of doing, is exactly what cons like you do yourself! I have never changed positions or contradicted myself on this topic. The only “indoctrination” I see, is that you know very little of the subjects you hold in contempt about liberal policies. I’m a liberal but I do not agree about every liberal policy. Most liberals do not 100% agree on everything. However you accept and defend 100% of conservative policies without question. That makes you are drone who cannot think for yourself, which allows you to be easily controlled by leaders looking to only protect their own power. And yet you claim to love “freedom”! I take the time to research and review policies myself, which allows me to reach my own conclusions. It is a common sense approach I would highly suggest you try yourself.
Keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better.
For those of us who have common sense and more intelligence than a peanut, we know better.
Try to have a nice weekend.
Huge win? What idiots! They’ll pay millions of money they don’t have to fix it up and run it with costly employees. There’s more than enough Parks for the budget they need to get down to. Liberal radicals yet again wanting to spend $ they don’t have so they can get their name on it, increase taxes, add to the gov size. Stop this deal ASAP!
There is plenty of funds in the voter approved WSPP sales tax to cover this incredible deal, which is over $2 million less than the price the county was quoted before Celebration Pointe’s bankruptcy. No new property taxes to purchase or maintain through 2032.
Gullible or just ignorant?
Leave it to a gullible ignoramus to argue over facts.
Fact are the low life trash should be using those millions to fix ROADS in this trash county!
Why don’t you move out of this “trash” county & help with the cleanup!
Pay taxes unlike half of you left wing trash!
well it would be illegal to use WSPP sales tax revenue for roads…so….
Hey Common Sense, I kinda felt some of these people were being a little hard on you. But, now I know they were not.
It is not illegal to use WSPP funds for roads b/c the lefties recently snuck their 1/2 cent gas tax in on the WSPP tax ordinance. So, they keep spending money taking property off the tax rolls, but they don’t live up to their responsibility to the taxpayers.
Who would come to events in a place with terrible and unsafe roads. What kind of enjoyment is to be had in a place where you put your vehicle through that kind of punishment.
Of course, just the left wing trash that believes citizens are slaves to government! There is little doubt as to why there is so much distain and disgust!
It will be full of tents and drug addicts before you know it. Maybe even GRACE West or something similar.
well that would be illegal under the new public camping law was passed last year…so…..
Mr. Peabody, I agree with you. The squatters will love panhandling the Tioga residents.
I’m in favor of it. I’m tired of my business associates mentioning it when pulling out of the airport when coming into town for business. It’s embarrassing.
Send them to west end. Let’s add a new bus route !
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.
I’m wondering why they didn’t make an affordable housing community? There’s plenty of space; culture and nature would have ample opportunities to clash. Shopping nearby, schools close – there’s even a fishing hole across the street.
Could have had the realtors and title representatives do the work pro bono.
I’m sure there are many bleeding heart liberals in the community who would have volunteered supplies and resources for just such a development.
For anyone interested in what’s really going on…read the comments here for additional info:
https://alachuachronicle.com/may-28-alachua-county-commission-regular-meeting/
Good post, people should read that link. World Masters seems to be for sports what Mensa is for intelligence–a narscissitic joke, but one that has a cheering squad of those hoping to cash in on the gullible participants.
The World Masters (WMA) has been a con game years in the making. Svein, the bankrupt developer of Celebration Pointe, is from Norway. The Sports Center he conned the BOCC out of $38 million to build exactly matches the minimum equipment list to host the WMA, which a European would know about. The conning started in 2019 to build this Sports Center. The whole purpose was to host the 2025 WMA. Hence the “time is of the essence” rush.
Further reading : https://world-masters-athletics.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/WMAC-Indoor-Guidelines-for-2025-Bidders.pdf
The WMA is for people over the age of 35 years who love reliving their youthful jock glory days by having competitions. The contestants pay their own travel expenses to attend the WMA. It has been mentioned that Celebration Pointe was going the pay the estimated $14 million cost to host the games, but I hope the Federal bankruptcy court will not approve frivolous spending on this. Leaving the Alachua County taxpayers to fund it.
May 28 BOCC spent $3.8 million to buy West End to host a cross country track, plus, on the consent agenda, gave the Gainesville Sports Organizing Committee $355,000 to “promote” Alachua County as part of thee WMA. That is $4.15 million authorized in one day.
The other $10 million? Bankrupt Celebration Pointe does not have it, so they will be coming back to the BOCC to ask for one million per month for the next ten months to fund the WMA. The BOCC is in so far they will continue to throw good money after bad.
Apparently the only thing than can change this is if three non incumbents can be elected in November in the new single member districts, or perhaps a Federal RICO grand jury.
Local nepotism runs wild while the local commoners are busy fighting over which 80 year old they want to elect as the next puppet in chief. I hate election years…80% of the population goes straight r3tard3d.
I need more popcorn
BRING BACK WEST END NIGHT GOLF AND 2$ BEERS. THE WEED SMELL AND POOR CONDITIONS CANT KEEP US AWAY
Great, another piece of valuable real estate is off the tax rolls.
The residents wanted a bail out to protect their property values – not to enjoy nature and all the other bs. It sickens me to read the fake excuses.
Buying a house on a golf course is a risky proposition. They should have paid the price for that dumb decision.
For Marvin: contrary to many folks beliefs, this does not take a “piece of valuable real estate is off the tax rolls.” A golf course has to have ag/recreation zoning. If they paid taxes on market value like it was apartments or a shopping center, taxes would be hundreds of thousands per year and a round of golf would have to charge $2000 to pay the taxes.
For the 75 West End acres, the 2025 tax bill including county and school board and assessments was $16,296. This is about what three of those big houses surrounding the golf course pay.
Note: this is why the BOCC is quick to rezone farmland to condos and shopping centers. If the county was mostly farmland, they would not collect the millions in tax revenue to fund all their woke social justice programs and squandering of money that they love to do. True farmland pays less than $10 per acre in taxes, but then cows and pine trees don’t call 911 much, and have no kids in public school, so the government impact to service farmland is almost nothing.
Let me correct my mistake.
When we get more pro business / non-communist Commissioners on the board – that piece of real estate would be zoned for a shopping center, hotel, houses, whatever.
It never would be zoned farmland, agriculture – Grace Marketplace II – long term.
It’s much too valuable.
I personally think it would be perfect for a Costco.
Inconvenient facts: the West End property has been tax exempt since 2016. If the county wanted to “fund all their woke social justice programs and squandering of money that they love to do”, they would have gladly changed the zone to residential, commercial or even agricultural rather than not take a penny on it for nearly a decade.
Parks and athletics are two things (among others) this area does right. Since there’s funding already, it’s a no-brainer — and a perfect location for a park. It should be well supervised, too. 🤑🥳🇺🇸
Sad thing is, The County can find $$$ for the broken golf course, But NO $$$ for our SAD ROADWAYS!😢
That’s what we need more parks 🤡 if you want to beautiful this chemical toilet of a city then push the bums out and fix the roads! 🤡
Screw the roads, we need more parks where homeless can smoke their crack and meth!
Thanks for the typically thorough reporting Jennifer,
I think you need to fumigate the comments section though. It’s dominated by vermin that hate Alachua county and the city of Gainesville, and probably their life.
Well look at you. Typical for a progressive liberal to seek censorship of a differing opinion.
By the way, willing to donate your vast knowledge and resources, especially your “well” paid employees, to construct some housing for those who are running on tough times?
If not, the least you can do is let us know what you did with those employees who didn’t follow your rules?
Obviously I am fine with differing opinions or I wouldn’t spend the time I do correcting so much of the nonsense posted here, but there’s a limit to everything, and should be to the simple minded, repetitive, and stupid knee jerk negativity of most of the regulars here. I don’t know where you all live, but why don’t you hit the road until you get to MAGAland, or wherever it is you think you’ll find happiness. You’re never gonna’ get it here, so why waste your time and ours with the incessant whining?
Typical for you – more avoidance and deflection.
Speaking of repetition; does that mean we won’t be reading any more of your repeated rants and whining about hostile takeovers and elected state reps?
That’s not an opinion, it’s a fact.
Again, just more regurgitating and avoidance.
I’m beginning to believe all of your so called, “accomplishments,” are just made of fantasy. Kind of like those wet dreams you have about Poe and Ward.
One time for the Westside! Be nice to bring the par 3 back for us west siders.
Can’t fix the damn roads, but, can buy up all the land.
No‼️‼️‼️leave it on the tax roles‼️‼️‼️‼️