Full article:

Dunedin Golf Course Restoration On Track for 2024 Via Collaborative Value Engineering

By William G. Smith

December 12, 2023—A sound of joy erupted from Dunedin Golf Club Board of Directors, club members and residents when The City of Dunedin, Florida City Commission approved a bid for the Dunedin Golf Club Restoration Project to XGD Systems, LLC of Jensen Beach Florida in the amount of $5,839,597.90. The original bid was $7,095,423.18. Construction documents were provided to three pre-qualified firms on September 29, 2023. The city received one bid on the due date of November 2023 from XGD Systems, LLC.

City staff worked with the project architect, Stantec, Inc. and the contractor to “value engineer” the scope of services to reduce various elements of the project cost while still performing the essential elements of the Donald Ross design restoration including greens, tees, bunkers, irrigation and draining.

Cost reductions were found in four areas including irrigation, rough/fairways, tree protection materials, cart paths, and bunker materials. The irrigation savings were realized as the contractor was able to find a new irrigation installer who is able to perform the work at a lower cost as well as a substitute irrigation heads. The architect and staff identified areas of the rough and fairways which could be eliminated from the project scope which reduced the grassing plan from 50 to 35 acres. The relocation of cart paths was eliminated. Lastly, the quantities of materials for the bunkers and trenching was reduced.

All parties are in support of the cost reductions to the project and believe it keeps all essential elements of the Donald Ross restoration. The original contract price was $7,095,423.18. After cost reductions of $1,255,825.28, the total adjusted contract price is $5,839,597.90. The total estimated cost of the Golf Club Restoration Project is $6,245,598 which includes $406,000 of design cost. The cost estimate for the construction for the project was originally $4,640,055.

The Dunedin Golf Course, designed by renowned golf course architect, Donald Ross opened in January, 1927 and served as the home of the PGA of America from 1945-1962.

The City of Dunedin anticipates the restoration of the Ross Course will bring golfers from across the country to play the course, increasing golf revenues, and bringing increased hotel, & restaurant revenue, along with increase home values in the area and increase property tax revenue.

The City of Dunedin plans to purchase new golf carts from Club Car, LLC, Evans, Georgia for $447,724. The City will fund this purchase through a Bank of America Equipment Lease over a five year term. The carts will be delivered by October 2024, prior to the completion of the course renovation.

Funding for the restoration project is budgeted in various funding sources including ARPA Federal Funding ($2,571,925), Florida State Historic Preservation Grant ($500,000), Golf Operations Fund ($2,500,000) and the General Fund Committed Tree Bank ($267,673).

The Golf Operations Fund Long Range Plan from FY 2024 to FY 2029 was revised with the following changes:

• Increased Golf Restoration Capital Project cost with offsetting Florida State Historic Preservation Grant fund of $500,000
• Increasing the ARPA Federal Funding for the Golf Course Restoration project by $977,925, and moving ARPA Funds from the Highlander Aquatic Complex project ($575,247) and the Broadband Internet Fiber Cable Project ($402,678) to the Golf Course Restoration Project. The ARPA funds need to be encumbered no later than December 31, 2024.
• The Golf Course project will begin March 1, 2024 and be completed November 30, 2024.
• $575,247 transferred from the Highlander Aquatic Complex will be replenished in the FY 2025 budget in the Penny Fund by a transfer from the Midtown Parking Facility project to the Highland Aquatic Complex Project. In addition, the CRA Fund will have increased cost in FY 2025 Budget of $575,247 to fully fund the Midtown Parking Garage Project.

Dunedin Golf Clubhouse improvements are planned at an estimated investment of $300,000.