Lions Club revenues on par with 2020's

The entrance to the Lions Club Municipal Golf Course is seen in this News-Times file photo.
The entrance to the Lions Club Municipal Golf Course is seen in this News-Times file photo.

Monthly revenues continue to hold steady for Lions Club Municipal Golf Course and the yearly take could come within 90% of total income for 2020, members of the El Dorado Parks and Playgrounds Commission heard Monday.

EPPC Chairman Ken Goudy presented the financial report for LCMGC in the stead of golf course manager Danny Carelock, who oversaw the 28th annual First Financial Bank/SHARE Benefit Golf Tournament, which was held over the weekend at Lions Club.

Goudy reported that Lions Club took in revenue of $33,991 in August -- a total that came in just under the $34,293 take for August 2020.

Goudy said he did not have updated totals for September but a check earlier in the month showed that the golf course had already generated $16,000 by Sept. 9.

He noted that LCMGC posted daily intakes of more than $2,000 on two days in August: $2,344 on Aug. 21, and a monthly high of $2,586 on Aug. 28

The lowest daily revenue total last month was $185.50 on Aug. 19.

"It's surprising how well it's still doing," parks and playgrounds Commissioner Greg Harrison said of the golf course.

"I know it. I expected to see a little downturn, but it may ... it depends on the weather. That has a huge effect on it, but I think we'll probably be within 90% of what we did last year," said Goudy.

The EPPC, city officials and Carelock previously pointed out that LCMGC fared well during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020 and is continuing to do so this year.

They said there was a sharp increase in play last year and they attributed the trend to people looking for safe, outdoor activities, noting that the spacious course allows for social distancing.

Total income for Lions Club in 2020 was $288,576, compared to $215,439 in 2019.

"And I would have taken at least 75% of that ($288,576) because I really thought it would drop off more because of, hopefully, more people going back to work, but apparently not," Goudy said Monday.

He speculated that the golf course likely brought in at least $2,000 on Sept. 18, the day of the First Financial Bank/SHARE Benefit Golf Tournament.

Goudy said the tournament "went wonderfully" and he and some other players arrived at Lions Club at approximately 6:15 a.m. to assist with preparations for the tournament.

Commissioner Alexis Alexander asked how many teams signed up for the tournament. Goudy said the 72-team field was packed and there was a waiting list of two - four teams.

"It only took about four hours, which wasn't bad. It wasn't bad at all," Goudy said. "Everything flowed and everybody seemed to be real pleased with everything and the weatherman was real nice to us because I just knew it was going to rain but it didn't."

In other business, the EPPC also met the city's new parks and green space manager, Jarrod Hays.

Hays said he's been on the job for a short while, telling commissioners that the former manager, Michael Lewis, recently transferred to the Street Department.

"I don't know anything. This is my first meeting so I'm here to learn," Hays said with a laugh.

Hays said he and his team spent the past week catching up with mowing city parks.

He said the team has been shorthanded, noting that Lewis moved to another position and another team member resigned around the time Lewis transferred.

He said an employee from the city's Sanitation Department, Marvin Stewart Sr., moved to the parks and green space crew two weeks ago.

"We've been training him with mowing and we've just been behind playing catch-up but we're finally getting it caught up, though," Hays said.

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