According to the Cherry Hill bid documents Niblick Golf Management responded to and was summarily rejected, IN ADDITION to the $5,000 cash on the barrel offer for a one-year lease (either party can terminate after one year) the “contractor will be responsible for the payment of real estate and personal property taxes as assessed by the Town Assessor’s office.”
Last year Cherry Hill, IF it had been on the taxrolls, WOULD have paid $16,000 in real estate taxes and $6,000 in personal property taxes; thus this deal would generate an additional $24,000 in new revenues to the town.
The contract also calls for payment of the beer/wine permit, an additional $700. So that $5,000 offer is really just a downpayment towards a total of $30,000 in new annual revenue. Last year--despite optimistic predictions from town officials all year long--the golf business still lost $59,000. So had this contract been in effect then, it would have been an almost $90,000 turnaround. How many teachers, police, or firefighters is that?
In his Bid introductory statement Niblick CEO Timothy Gordon states: “We believe that our company can work with the community to relieve the town of the financial burden of operating the course, while expanding the recreational opportunities it affords residents.”
Sounds like a hole-in-one to me!
He sagaciously continues: “”The financial information made available to us shows that despite cuts in expenses, the course has yet to achieve a true profit. Your struggles with profitability have given you a window into the nature of this capital and labor intensive business.”
Three years ago, on the morning of the deadline for the last Cherry Hill RFP attempt, Town Manager Barry Del Castilho emailed the entire Select board and stated that $30,000 was the figure he had in mind as a minimum bid. But no one responded…until now:
If town officials do not resurrect this deal (of a lifetime) somebody should walk the plank!
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