THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, April 3, 1996 TAG: 9604030440
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MYLENE MANGALINDAN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
Norfolk wants a share of the green.
The putting green, that is.
A city-appointed golf commission and the recreation department recommended Tuesday that the city develop property at Lamberts Point for a golf learning and practice facility.
They also suggested that the city renovate and improve its three existing golf courses: Ocean View, Lake Wright and Stumpy Lake, which is in Virginia Beach but owned by Norfolk.
The report capped a year-long study involving a city-appointed seven-member commission, the Recreation, Parks and General Services Department, and a consultant team. The consultants are Ault Clark & Associates from the Baltimore-Washington area, Williamsburg Environmental Group and Golf Business Advisors, based in Williamsburg.
The City Council authorized $48,000 about a year ago to analyze the Hampton Roads market, prepare a master plan for an Ocean View golf course and study Lamberts Point for its development possibilities.
The commission and the consultant team learned that golf is a growing leisure activity. Business people enjoy the game. Courses can sustain themselves. Learning centers - driving and practice ranges - are in higher demand.
The conclusions parallel a Virginia Beach golf study: the entire area needs about eight courses to meet the demand for golf.
Norfolk courses are in high use, according to the report. Lake Wright is at 78 percent of its capacity, Stumpy Lake at 82 percent. The consultants expect golf to grow in popularity over the next 20 years.
``They can be a boom to our economic development,'' said Stanley Stein, director of the Norfolk Recreation, Parks and General Services Department.
The report said that developing Lamberts Point for golf would cost $2 million.
Norfolk owns property there bounded by Old Dominion University, Powhatan Avenue, the Hampton Roads Sanitation Plant andNorfolk Southern's coal terminal. The proposed facility would extend from Powhatan Avenue to the Elizabeth River.
The plan includes a learning center, a 50-station driving range and an 18-hole, par-3 course.
Stein's department and the commission, which advises his department, will also consider the feasibility of the city operating the Lake Wright golf facility. Norfolk owns that land but leases it to Richard Wright, who owns the adjoining Lake Wright Resort and Convention Center.
The commission will look into adding nine holes to Ocean View and Stumpy Lake as well as other general improvements. ILLUSTRATION: Color file photo
by CNB