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Scott P
01-22-2011, 06:08 PM
http://www.standard.net/topics/business/2011/01/18/audit-some-utah-state-parks-may-need-be-closed

SALT LAKE CITY -- Some Utah state parks may need to close, others should offer fewer services during the winter and some could be privatized to save state money, according to a legislative audit released Tuesday.

The audit was ordered by state lawmakers who were looking for ways to make the state park system more efficient.

Only nine of Utah's 43 state parks generate enough revenue to operate without state funding.

The audit says Utah's heritage parks and museums are among the most expensive to operate and tend to have the fewest visitors.

The audit identified five state parks for possible closure or transferring the responsibility of managing them to local governments.

They are the Green River Golf Course, Edge of the Cedars, Territorial Statehouse, Frontier Homestead and Utah Field House Museum.

Those parks required state subsidies of between $8 to $43 per visitor due largely to low visitation numbers.

At Green River Golf Course, 5,500 nine-hole rounds were played during the fiscal year that ended June 30, requiring a $235,000 subsidy.

"The Legislature will need to address the policy question of whether or not the state should continue to subsidize these types of operations at such a high level," auditors wrote.

Golf courses, parks with camping and marinas are also the kind of parks the audit says could be privatized.

The audit says contracting out the state park system for someone else to manage campgrounds, cabins, yurts, visitors and boat slip rentals could result in privatizing the operations of 33 state parks.

However, the audit notes the state would still need to fulfill the same role as traditional landlords, including capital maintenance, contract administration and environmental stewardship.

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Longer story from Tribune:

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/outdoors/51073957-117/parks-state-park-utah.html.csp

ibenick
01-22-2011, 07:07 PM
I'll never understand why a golf course is ever government run. Campgrounds and marinas make sense, but a golf course? :ne_nau:

Scott P
01-22-2011, 07:29 PM
I'll never understand why a golf course is ever government run.


Me neither.

denaliguide
01-22-2011, 07:42 PM
edge of the cedars is one of the most interesting museums you will find.

ratagonia
01-22-2011, 09:14 PM
I'll never understand why a golf course is ever government run. Campgrounds and marinas make sense, but a golf course? :ne_nau:

Capitalism for the poor, socialism for the rich.

T

uintahiker
01-24-2011, 10:32 AM
Yeah- get rid of the state- owned golf courses!

I stopped by Fremont Indian SP last week. It was cool/disappointing. They cleared out their museum last year and still haven't replaced the exhibits.

double moo
01-24-2011, 09:55 PM
most golf courses in this state are government run - typically counties and cities not state. Most of them make great money and pay for themselves as well as generating funds for other parks. Wasatch Mountain gold course and Soldier Hollow - both in Midway - are winners financially. I don't have the facts... but I'd dare guess that the cross country ski center at Soldier Hollow is a loser financially and is probably the beneficiary of the golf course windfalls.

Sombeech
01-25-2011, 08:49 AM
I'd say get rid of Golf Courses completely :haha:

ibenick
01-25-2011, 08:53 AM
most golf courses in this state are government run - typically counties and cities not state. Most of them make great money and pay for themselves as well as generating funds for other parks.

What the hell, I was told the government can't run anything right. :haha:

fourtycal
01-25-2011, 09:08 AM
edge of the cedars is one of the most interesting museums you will find.

It is cool. I was there watching as it was built (first elevator in Blanding) :lol8:
It's probably the state required yearly elevator maintenance and inspections that puts it in the red!

Sombeech
01-25-2011, 09:08 AM
What the hell, I was told the government can't run anything right. :haha:

But maybe a dog leg left?

Scott Card
01-25-2011, 02:34 PM
Hobble Creek Golf Course is run by Springville City. It too makes a nice profit. The Green River Course looks boring. I can say that I have never had the desire to golf that course and I have golfed some of the more obscure courses while traveling around for court. (courses in Nephi, Fillmore, Fairview, Ferrin to name a few)

So, we have some non or lousy golfers on this site do we?:lol8: I would be included in the very bad golfer club but I still have fun.