GADSDEN, Ala. (WBRC) – Some neighbors in Gadsden are asking city leaders why they’re spending thousands of dollars to upgrade a golf course.
Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford says he knows spending over $400,000 on Twin Bridges Golf Course is an unpopular decision, but he says that course has a big economic impact on the city.
“Our goal when we came into office was to make this fun town and bring in more events and give people more quality of life, something to do here in Gadsden,” said Ford.
Mayor Ford says one place in the city that’ll provide that type of fun is at the golf course. He says in order to keep people coming, you have to maintain the courses.
“Golfers will travel and they’ll make a weekend experience out of it. If your course isn’t up to par, you’re going to lose golfers. If you lose golfers, your course shuts down,” said Ford.
During a recent city council meeting, the city announced plans to spend close to $450,000 to renovate 17 bunkers and install a new drainage system to keep sand from eroding.
“The city council voted on increasing the sales tax and part of that penny goes toward a capital improvement fund. Those moneys can only be spent on capital projects. This is one of those capital projects you’ll see us do throughout the year with that portion of that penny,” said Ford.
Ford says this is the second time the Twin Bridges Golf Course has been profitable and he wants to keep the momentum going.
“We get a lot of spinoffs from the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course. They’ll play the course in Silver Lakes then they’ll come up and spend the night and play the course at Twin Bridges,” said Ford.
Mayor Ford didn’t give a timeframe for when the project would begin, but he did say night golfing will be available in June.
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