Ray Richards Golf Course

[bincitysioux]

Just curious if anyone knows if Ray Richards is going to be on track to open up as soon as weather allows?  Or is it going to take work to make it playable?  Or are they going to let it sit empty and unused for another 3 years?

You would think that with golf season approaching there would have been some sort of announcement as to if it is going to open up anytime soon.

[Oxbow6]

Drove by Tuesday. Definitely didn't appear there had been any prep work so far to make it playable anytime soon.

[I Ranger]

I know they did some work last summer/fall but not sure how much they have left to make it playable. 

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

It was supposed to open for a few weeks last fall but flooding tanked those plans.  I'd think they would open but then again it's tied to the university so maybe not?

King's Walk driving range opening possibly this wkd and course opening next week. Have a feeling there will be a lot of people interested in golf(and other outdoor activities) as there's limited options so it'd be nice if Ray Dick's opened to spread out the traffic.

[gfhockey]

Ray Richards club house project got out on hold so there’s that 

[bincitysioux]

The reopening date for UND's Ray Richards Golf Course still to be determined

Quote

 

The nine-hole course, which has been shuttered since the school closed it in 2016, had been targeting a June 1 opening prior to the coronavirus-related shutdown.

Now, with on-campus activities on pause, the status of Ray Richards' opening date remains unclear, said Mike Pieper, UND's Associate Vice President for Facilities.

 

 

[NoiseInsideMyHead]

1 hour ago, bincitysioux said:

The reopening date for UND's Ray Richards Golf Course still to be determined

Closing the golf course will go down as one of UND's bigger blunders.  

Lost revenue + costs of rehabilitation + loss of good will = HUGE

[Old Fella]

1 minute ago, NoiseInsideMyHead said:

Closing the golf course will go down as one of UND's bigger blunders.  

Lost revenue + costs of rehabilitation + loss of good will = HUGE

Thank Scheffer!

[DB Cooper]

Has anyone heard any updates for an opening date? course looked great when i drove by yesterday

[northernraider]

On 5/1/2020 at 9:01 AM, NoiseInsideMyHead said:

Closing the golf course will go down as one of UND's bigger blunders.  

Lost revenue + costs of rehabilitation + loss of good will = HUGE

Except, when is a golf course part of Higher Education?
If UND offered a degree in turf management, I could see it. 

Selling the course and land would have brought hundreds of thousands of dollars to the University for other more pressing needs (perhaps, a modern football locker room maybe) 

[1972]

22 minutes ago, northernraider said:

Except, when is a golf course part of Higher Education?
If UND offered a degree in turf management, I could see it. 

Selling the course and land would have brought hundreds of thousands of dollars to the University for other more pressing needs (perhaps, a modern football locker room maybe) 

except they couldnt sell it

[NoiseInsideMyHead]

19 minutes ago, northernraider said:

Except, when is a golf course part of Higher Education?
If UND offered a degree in turf management, I could see it. 

Selling the course and land would have brought hundreds of thousands of dollars to the University for other more pressing needs (perhaps, a modern football locker room maybe) 

Except, many of the top universities in the country have golf courses.  It actually puts UND in some rarefied air.

Losing that urban green space would have been a tragedy.  And for what?  More strip malls and apartments?

You should probably qualify your opinion with whether you are local, and whether you golf.

[SiouxForever]

35 minutes ago, northernraider said:

Except, when is a golf course part of Higher Education?
If UND offered a degree in turf management, I could see it. 

Selling the course and land would have brought hundreds of thousands of dollars to the University for other more pressing needs (perhaps, a modern football locker room maybe) 

This sassy comment is just so dumb. Dumb I say. SMH. They tried selling the land after they closed the golf course. How'd that turn out? You think Grand Forks needs more apartments? I highly suggest opening your eyes, that's the last thing that town needs is more apartment or living developments. lol. 

Lastly, I want and do support the UND football team, they need figure their owns sh^T out. We supporters can't do it all and we can't save Women's hockey too. I don't  have a solution for everyone's problems. Business 101.

[jdub27]

1 hour ago, NoiseInsideMyHead said:

You should probably qualify your opinion with whether you are local, and whether you golf.

I'm local, I golf and I don't think UND has any need to own and operate a golf course.

  

1 hour ago, NoiseInsideMyHead said:

Except, many of the top universities in the country have golf courses.  It actually puts UND in some rarefied air.

Guessing those places get a little more use than 4-5 months out of theirs, most of which is when the majority of students aren't even in class.

[tnt]

4 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

I'm local, I golf and I don't think UND has any need to own and operate a golf course.

  

Guessing those places get a little more use than 4-5 months out of theirs, most of which is when the majority of students aren't even in class.

Do you think UND has any need to pay attention to the wishes of how the donor wants his gift to be used?

[fightingsioux4life]

1 hour ago, SiouxForever said:

This sassy comment is just so dumb. Dumb I say. SMH. They tried selling the land after they closed the golf course. How'd that turn out? You think Grand Forks needs more apartments? I highly suggest opening your eyes, that's the last thing that town needs is more apartment or living developments. lol. 

Lastly, I want and do support the UND football team, they need figure their owns sh^T out. We supporters can't do it all and we can't save Women's hockey too. I don't  have a solution for everyone's problems. Business 101.

Again, here is that insane idea of every program has to support itself with it's own revenues. That isn't how intercollegiate athletics works and it likely never will work that way.

As for Ray Richards, I think it is worthwhile to have and I am glad it is coming back.

[jdub27]

16 minutes ago, tnt said:

Do you think UND has any need to pay attention to the wishes of how the donor wants his gift to be used?

I do, as does the University (even with the understanding of how things are perceived by the public and future donors), but I'm also not naive enough to ignore that a lot of things change over a nearly 60 year period and especially when there was no perpetuity agreement requirement in the donor agreement that requires UND to be bound to forver run a golf course. And while it was a very generous gift, it should be pointed out that there was 150 acres of farmland in the transaction valued at $45,000. Of that, only $11,250 was actually gifted, with UND paying for the remainder of the land. 

I mean, UND and every other institution has done plenty of things such as knocked down buildings that have been built with donations or has repurposed funds for more beneficial things. Do you think UND should be permanently locked into understandings that are over a half-century old, even when the agreement doesn't require them to?

[tnt]

36 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

I do, as does the University (even with the understanding of how things are perceived by the public and future donors), but I'm also not naive enough to ignore that a lot of things change over a nearly 60 year period and especially when there was no perpetuity agreement requirement in the donor agreement that requires UND to be bound to forver run a golf course. And while it was a very generous gift, it should be pointed out that there was 150 acres of farmland in the transaction valued at $45,000. Of that, only $11,250 was actually gifted, with UND paying for the remainder of the land. 

I mean, UND and every other institution has done plenty of things such as knocked down buildings that have been built with donations or has repurposed funds for more beneficial things. Do you think UND should be permanently locked into understandings that are over a half-century old, even when the agreement doesn't require them to?

Apparently some people think it is important, because after family complained they reversed course.   

[jdub27]

1 hour ago, tnt said:

Apparently some people think it is important, because after family complained they reversed course.   

Where did I say it wasn't important? I clearly stated where the perception of the decision on the public and future donors is something that is taken into account. That doens't mean its sole factor for decision making.

You didn't answer if you think an organization should be bound in perpetuity even when not required and even when it becomes something that falls well oustide their mission or expertise and no longer financially makes sense.

[SWSiouxMN]

Have they made holes 8 and 9 any easier or are they sticking to the original course plan?

[tnt]

1 hour ago, jdub27 said:

Where did I say it wasn't important? I clearly stated where the perception of the decision on the public and future donors is something that is taken into account. That doens't mean its sole factor for decision making.

You didn't answer if you think an organization should be bound in perpetuity even when not required and even when it becomes something that falls well oustide their mission or expertise and no longer financially makes sense.

Bound?  No?   But what they ended up doing didn't make financial sense any which way you look at it.

[SIOUXFAN97]

5 hours ago, SWSiouxMN said:

Have they made holes 8 and 9 any easier or are they sticking to the original course plan?

looks the same to me.

couldn't und have had to both ways....tear down the clubhouse and build a 10 or more stories tall building with the proshop and restaurant on the main floor, maybe a floor or two or hotel rooms, and condos or apartments from floor 5 going up?

[Frozen4sioux]

6 hours ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

looks the same to me.

couldn't und have had to both ways....tear down the clubhouse and build a 10 or more stories tall building with the proshop and restaurant on the main floor, maybe a floor or two or hotel rooms, and condos or apartments from floor 5 going up?

Fair Argument.... and really an innovative solution. 

I award you points for the round.

[petey23]

12 hours ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

looks the same to me.

couldn't und have had to both ways....tear down the clubhouse and build a 10 or more stories tall building with the proshop and restaurant on the main floor, maybe a floor or two or hotel rooms, and condos or apartments from floor 5 going up?

Hmmm. A golf course right outside a college kids apartment. That would certainly be an easier course to navigate than the old Midnight Masters Course we set up back in college with the #1 tee box being the ATO front yard.

[UNDBIZ]

12 hours ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

looks the same to me.

couldn't und have had to both ways....tear down the clubhouse and build a 10 or more stories tall building with the proshop and restaurant on the main floor, maybe a floor or two or hotel rooms, and condos or apartments from floor 5 going up?

UND doesn't want to be responsible for the ongoing cost of more empty buildings in Grand Forks.  The goal was to sell the land, cash up front.