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Village of Vicksburg buys golf course
Comments 0 | Recommend 0VICKSBURG, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – Amid the current financial uncertainty, the Village of Vicksburg is making an unusual investment.
The village is buying the struggling Angel's Crossing Golf Club on East W Avenue. The price tag sits at $1.2 million.
On Wednesday, Newschannel 3 went to find out where that money is coming from and if the purchase is really a smart move.
The village wants to stress that it's not using any money from its general fund to buy or run the golf course, instead the village president calls it an investment opportunity.
No one at Angel's Crossing ever had any questions about the quality of golf available, the course got a top ten rating from a national magazine in its first year.
Newschannel 3 talked to a group of golfers who play every Wednesday. They say their love of the sport takes them all over, but they tend to come back to Angel's Crossing.
"As golfers, we like to play some nice courses, this is one of the best," said Gerard Gobeil.
Financial, Angel's Crossing wasn't doing too well. The course and adjoining development were both in foreclosure.
"When we heard it had gone into foreclosure, it kind of made us sick," said Mike Potter.
When Angel's Crossing wasn't finding a buyer, Village President Dan Pryson says the village approached the current owners, the Kalamazoo County State Bank.
"It is a jewel of the Village of Vicksburg and we really think it's necessary to keep it alive," said Pryson.
The Village Council decided to buy Angel's Crossing for $200,000 down and a million over the next 20 years. The down payment and all costs associated with running the property as a municipal course will come from a brownfield redevelopment account, funded with property taxes from the housing development.
"We will not be using any tax dollars out of our general fund to operate the golf course," said Pryson.
The village hopes the redevelopment account can break even on running the course in two or three years. They also believe a new clubhouse and liquor license will help Angel's Crossing survive.
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