Superior National at Lutsen Golf Course Manager Bob Fenwick explains the proposed changes to the golf course. He said the changes would make Superior National a resort-caliber course.
Representatives of the Superior National at Lutsen (SNL) golf course committee appeared at the Schroeder, Tofte and Lutsen town meetings in October, making a case to the West End townships to support the proposed expansion and enhancements to the golf course.
Marland Hansen and Tom Fredeen gave a presentation in Tofte. They explained that the major changes include lengthening the course and building a new clubhouse, moving SNL from a recreational course to a resort-style course.
At Lutsen and Schroeder, golf course committee member Jim King and Golf Course Manager Bob Fenwick gave the presentation. Fenwick explained the difference between a recreational and resortstyle course. He said resort-style courses are 7,000 yards. “That’s what golfers want,” he said, adding that the longest hole in the draft proposal is a par-5 and is 600 yards long. Fenwick said SNL practice areas are too small, so they are overused and difficult to maintain. He said sand traps are too dark and the sand is “unplayable.” And, Fenwick said, when someone hits a ball into the fairway, they expect to be able to find it, not to lose it in mud and overgrowth.
Fenwick said the golf course committee has been talking with the golf course architect who developed The Wilderness, Quarry, and Legends golf courses. “He has an idea how good this course could be,” said Fenwick.
“He [the golf course architect] has worked around the United States,” said Fenwick. “He has worked on golf courses that are built on the ocean, or on a river, or near a mountain. He has never worked on a course that combines all three.”
At both the Tofte meeting, where he listened as a supervisor and at the Lutsen meeting, where he spoke as a golf course committee member, Jim King voiced support of approving the golf course and stressed that the golf course was not a “drain on the county.”
“Every bond payment for Superior National has been paid,” said King. “The county tax levy that has gone to the golf course is zero. You will sometimes hear that the EDA ‘gave’ the golf course money. That is not right. The EDA has loaned the golf course money over the winter and every loan has been paid back.”
King also said the course has generated revenue for the county, paying $85,000 in sales tax last year and generating 38-40 seasonal jobs as well as several full-time jobs. Homeowners located around the course also paid $58,000 in taxes last year, said King.
Golf course committee members also said the golf course brings economic benefit to lodging, dining, and other tourism entities. Because of the financial benefit to the community, said King, it is time to make some improvements to the golf course. “After 20 years it’s time to once again make Superior National a fabulous destination,” said King.
At the Tofte meeting, Hansen reported that the committee had been working with the Cook County-Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA), which owns the golf course, and the county, to get new maintenance equipment and to have the clubhouse roof repaired, using the 1 percent recreation tax.“We also helped get the employees raises. They haven’t received a raise in five years. That seems sinful to me,” said Hansen.
According to Hansen, the cost to renovate the course would be about $2.2 million per nine holes. The first phase calls for two of the three nine holes to be changed and updated. Fenwick said he hoped to find the money for the improvements from the 1 percent recreation tax, along with grants from other entities such as IRRRB, the MN Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), Tourism MN, Cook County Soil & Water, and others. “Once we get a proposal and put together a package, then we’ll go after resources,” said Fenwick.
In Schroeder and Tofte, formal motions of support were not made, however there appeared to be town board consensus that the golf course should proceed with the golf course improvements. Reached by phone after the Schroeder presentation, Schroeder Supervisor Tina McKeever said, “Our concern was potential cost to the township. When they explained the funding, there was support. We didn’t pass a motion, but there was a consensus. We said, ‘Do whatever you need to do.’”
As King and Fenwick wrapped up the presentation at Lutsen, Marland Hansen, in his role as Lutsen supervisor, asked if they wanted a letter of support for the improvements.
King replied, “It wouldn’t hurt.”
The Lutsen board passed a motion to write a letter of support for the golf course expansion proposal. Hansen and Supervisor Joe Buttweiler voted yes. Supervisor Diane Parker cast a nay vote.
Lutsen Treasurer John Groth said he had a very serious question. He asked, “If you lengthen the course, will you reduce the age for the yellow tees?
“I need that,” he said, as other golfers laughed and nodded agreement.
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