OCEAN CITY – Resort officials last week agreed to an expenditure request of up to $200,000 for improvements at Eagle’s Landing Golf Course.
Last week, the Mayor and Council voted unanimously to authorize staff to spend up to $200,000 for improvements at Eagle’s Landing, including a repaving project at the course’s main parking lot and design work for renovations to the clubhouse. Recreation and Parks Director Susan Petito told officials the design work would allow for construction on the building’s kitchen and restrooms to commence in late 2023 or early 2024.
“To be clear, what we are asking for now is the funding to be able to do the design work for that project, with the hopes of being able to come back once that’s completed and ask for funding to move forward with that project,” she explained, “hopefully this year or the beginning of next year, during the wintertime.”
During last week’s presentation, Golf Manager Bob Croll told council members that $200,000 in golf course fund balance was needed for facility improvements. A portion of that money, he said, would be used to repave the Eagle’s Landing parking lot.
“The parking lot is the original parking lot from 1991,” he said. “It has cracks throughout with grass growing through the cracks. It’s something that needs to be done. It’s probably past time for that. We had it evaluated by public works, and they said it’s outlived its lifecycle. So that’s something we’d really like to do.”
As part of that project, Croll said crews would include a planting area to cover up a septic take that had been installed when the facility connected to the county’s sewer system.
“It actually creates a bump in the parking lot, which is a hazard,” he said. “It would be a beautification thing too for the area where people arrive to play golf.”
Another portion of the requested funds, Croll said, would be used for design work for the proposed clubhouse kitchen and restroom renovation. Officials noted the kitchen was too small and the clubhouse restrooms required a complete reorganization and renovation, which would allow space for storage.
“The clubhouse renovation is something that’s been talked about since my first day here in 2001,” Croll said. “We really didn’t have the money, and we had some tight budgets through the years, so we made do with what we had. It’s something that could really help our operations and improve storage space.”
Croll said plans call for building an addition to the east of the clubhouse, which will feature a new walk-in cooler, as well as an addition to the south. There, a new men’s restroom will be constructed to better serve patrons.
“The lady’s room would be renovated as well in the same place,” he added. “Then what would formerly be the men’s room will become a much-needed storage area.”
In the kitchen, Croll said new appliances would be added. The project also includes plans for a new bar area.
“It would also include a bar area on the north side,” he said. “We’d turn that one little room into more of a hangout area for golfers afterwards.”
Petito also recognized the town’s engineering department, which worked with staff to develop a plan for the clubhouse.
“We want to thank the engineering department and Joe Santos,” she said. “He worked with the staff to really come up with a plan we thought was workable with the space we had within the clubhouse.”
After further discussion, the council voted 7-0 to approve up to $200,000 for improvements at Eagle’s Landing.
