Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2014 - 19

good news for golfers, and golf, in the state.
By Joseph Oberle
S
ince 1986, Mississippi National Golf
Links has afforded golfers incredible
vistas and unique golf holes. Meandering
up, down and through the bluff country
of Red Wing, the two 18-hole courses
attracted golfers from throughout the
state, helping the local economy with
tourism dollars along the way.
Unfortunately, the course fell on hard
times and closed in 2013-with only
the driving range remaining open to
give the local high school golf teams
a place to practice. But the Red Wing
community didn't want the story to end
there. Thanks to the efforts of a group
of concerned citizens, the course is
reopening in the spring of 2014, as they
work to resurrect a valuable community
asset.
That group, the Red Wing Municipal
Clubhouse at Keller GC
Golf Corporation (RWMGC), saw the
trouble coming early and formed
a nonprofi t group three years ago.
Wendell Pittinger, who had operated the
city-owned course since its inception,
was no longer interested in running the
course, and Gary Fridell, a member of
the course, saw that as a red fl ag.
" Gary was the one who started it, "
says Jan Pinsonneault, RWMGC vice
president. " He said, 'Our asset is going
to be in trouble; let's get to work on it.'
He became our fi rst president. "
With fl agging revenues certainly
Since early on, Keller put a national
face on public golf in St. Paul and the
Twin Cities. It's been a valuable community
asset-and Ramsey County Commissioner
Rafael Ortega, who was chair
of the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners
(2012-13) during the bulk of
the renovation project, readily agrees.
" The investment was worth it-for
its history and role in the community, "
he says. " These kinds of facilities need
maintenance, and that costs taxpayer
money. [But it] gives us a much better
facility that attracts more use by the
community. You can't defer maintenance
on your infrastructure. The waste
of taxpayers' money is just to see something
rot and fall apart in front of you. "
The diffi culty
County offi cials and Richard Mandell's
New York-based golf architecture fi rm
(which performed the course renovaKELLER
PHOTOS BY PAUL MARKERT
www.mngolf.org
Spring 2014 MINNESOTAGOLFER 17
for Keller, Ramsey
contributing to the course's woes,
Pittinger and the city of Red Wing
disagreed on several matters until
November 1, 2012, when Pittinger shut
the operation down. The city paid to
keep the driving range open for the
2013 season and to minimally maintain
the course in hopes of its return. On
September 13, 2013, the city reached a
fi nancial settlement with Pittinger, who
was let out of his lease.
(continued on page 19)

http://www.mngolf.org

Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2014

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