DATE: Wednesday, November 26, 1997          TAG: 9711260528

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY TERRI WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                        LENGTH:   61 lines

CONSULTANT SAYS PORTSMOUTH WILL HAVE TO CHIP IN MORE FOR COURSE

City officials learned Tuesday that their plans to upgrade Bide-A-Wee Golf Course would cost more than twice the estimated amount.

Golf consultant Jeff Fleishman told the City Council during its work session that work on Bide-A-Wee will run $7 million. The council had been told earlier that it would cost only $2.8 million to upgrade the course.

``We underestimated,'' Fleishman told the council. ``I feel bad about that.''

Vice Mayor Johnny M. Clemons, while supporting the course improvements as an economic development tool for the city, asked about the expense.

``There are going to be those who will question why it's more than what we discussed,'' Clemons said.

Fleishman explained that the difference comes from plans to build a pavilion holding up to 300 people and a larger club house, and to correct a worse-than-anticipated drainage problem.

Improvements at the Links at City Park will still cost roughly $1.76 million, said Deputy City Manager C.W. ``Luke'' McCoy. They will include work on the pro shop, restrooms and a number of buildings at the course.

About $18,000 will be used for landscaping.

The City Park course is expected to open in early March 1998.

Officials plan to close Bide-A-Wee in January and possibly reopen it in November.

All of the improvement money is to come from a golf enterprise fund, a pot of money that would be made up of fees paid by golfers and others who use the city's courses. The golf enterprise fund is in the process of being set up.

City officials have recommended raising greens fees to $14 for 18 holes for a non-resident and $12 for the same round for residents at City Park. At Bide-A-Wee, the recommended fees for an 18-hole weekday would be $20 for a non-resident and $12.50 for a Portsmouth citizen.

McCoy stressed that the improvements are worth the additional costs.

He said the Bide-A-Wee course will act as an economic tool. City officials have plans to build a commerce park near Bide-A-Wee once redevelopment plans are finalized at nearby Fairwood Homes.

Portsmouth is banking on its upgraded greens to add more green to its coffers. They're using big name pros to sell the courses, and they're working with Suffolk on joint golf projects.

Earlier Tuesday, the two cities signed an agreement that would renew a lease on a Portsmouth-owned golf course located in Suffolk. The agreement stipulates that Portsmouth will lease the course to Suffolk for another 10 years and Suffolk would be responsible for making a number of improvements to the course.

In September, Portsmouth approved a contract paying PGA Touring pro Curtis Strange $75,000 to lend his name to Bide-A-Wee.

``We've had nothing but total acceptance from golfers and the community,'' McCoy said of the city's plans.

In other city business, the City Council unanimously approved a proposal to issue $22 million in public improvement bonds.The bond issue will help to pay for drainage and improvements to streets and municipal facilities, the completion of the new I.C. Norcom High School, industrial and economic development, leisure services and public safety.

Five years ago, the city issued public improvement and public utility bonds, which helped pay for capital projects. Portions of those bonds may be put back on the market because interest rates have decreased, said officials.

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