County Manager Kathleen Otto says the county is ‘currently soliciting interested parties that may want to purchase the golf course with the agreement of keeping it as a golf course’
Ken Vance and Paul Valencia
Clark County Today
Clark County officials have confirmed that they are going out to bid for the sale of Tri-Mountain Golf Course, located at 1701 NW 299th St. in Ridgefield. The bid will go out on Sept. 18 and a tour of the course will be held on Sept. 25. Bids will be due back the third week of October and county officials hope to close a sale by January 2025. Final approval will be made during a County Council meeting.
“We did a one-year extension of the current management contract that was approved on March 19, 2024 during a council hearing so that we could determine the future of the property,’’ County Manager Kathleen Otto told Clark County Today Tuesday. “Budget was approved in 2022 and 2023 for an appraisal. We have received that information and are currently soliciting interested parties that may want to purchase the golf course with the agreement of keeping it as a golf course. Once staff receives the responses, it will be brought to council for public discussion and consideration.’’
Clark County Today visited with several golfers at Tri-Mountain this week. They had all heard the rumors that the county was going to sell the course.
While the county has said it is seeking interested parties who would agree to continue running Tri-Mountain as a golf course, many golfers recall the end of Green Mountain Golf Course in east Vancouver. Drive past that now and it is difficult to see evidence of a golf course, with homes and neighborhoods that have been developed.
“It would be very disappointing,” if the course was closed, said Diane Buelt of Vancouver, who plays at Tri-Mountain at least once a week.
“It needs to stay a golf course,” added Brenda Fisher of Vancouver. “And keep it open to the public.”
“I would love for it to stay as a golf course. We have nothing on this side,” said Sandy Stark of Yacolt, noting the few public, full-length 18-hole courses in the region.
“Washington is losing golf courses. Let’s keep this as a golf course,” Stark said.
Tanner Maahs, now the golf coach at Prairie High School, remembers when Cedars at Salmon Creek in Brush Prairie was the home course back when he played in high school 15 years ago. Now that’s gone, So, too, is Green Mountain. Several courses in Portland that Washington high school athletes have used over the years, have been closed or shortened, too.
“Now there are times there are six schools out here at Tri-Mountain trying to compete for space, along with the public,” Maahs said.
He worries about the future of the sport if courses keep closing.
Again, the county is optimistic that whoever buys Tri-Mountain will continue to run the golf operations. Still, for golfers, the thought of a sale is unnerving.
“Tri-Mountain is a staple of the Northwest. It’s one of the last remaining good public golf courses around,” Maahs said.
Another rumor is a high-profile neighbor of Tri-Mountain could buy the course.
“I hope the casino gets it,” said Chris Weber of Vancouver, speculating on a rumor he heard that the Cowlitz Indian Tribe could purchase the course and market it along with the new hotel at ilani, the casino resort that is a 2-mile drive from the course. “More than likely, it would stay a golf course. That’s the hope for me.”
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Previously, the Clark County Council did not solicit bids for the management of the Tri-Mountain golf course when contract renewal was considered, and opted for an out of state company to run the course for the county.
Local businesses had been told they would be invited to bid on the management of the golf couse when contract renewal came up, but weren’t. We need County Councilors with integrity and business backgrounds like Chuck Keplar and Joe Zimmerman to insure that county business is well managed , and that local businesses are invited to bid on county projects in a fair process. This article includes some history about the Tri-Mountain golf course and no-bid county contract renewals.
No-bid contract renewal for Tri-Mountain Golf Course
I wonder if Clark County has the will to enforce a sale agreement that Tri-Mountain will remain a golf course or will the property be subject to a slow death. Clark County puts a low priority on recreational opportunities for its citizens. The course will become a playground for the rich.