The report summarizes the financial performance of municipal golf courses in Virginia from 2005 to 2009. It found that on average, courses lost $302,510 in 2009, with a range of losses from $10,458 to $803,770. Only one locality had a net income in 2009. Over the five-year period analyzed, only one locality sustained net revenue for more than one year. The majority of courses operated at a loss each year.

1. Municipal Golf Course Performance Report
Municipal Golf Course Performance in Virginia Communities Surveyed
$100,000 Blacksburg Bristol Petersburg*
Buena Vista Charlottesville Prince William Co.
Hampton Harrisonburg Salem*
$50,000
Henrico Newport News Staunton*
Average of all localities surveyed
Norfolk Portsmouth Virginia Beach
$0 Warren Co.
Net Operating Income
($50,000) * Not included in graph (left) due to incomplete data.
Available data from these courses are included in the
chart (below).
($100,000)
($160,068)
($150,000)
Key Findings
($200,000) ($237,330) Net income in FY09 ranged from a high of $10,458 to to a
($208,736) low of negative $803,770.
($250,000)
The average subsidy in 2009 was $302,510.
($274,141)
($300,000)
Only one locality had net income in 2009 ($10,458)
($302,510)
($350,000) Only one locality has sustained net revenue for more than
FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 a single year.
Locality Description FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09
Blacksburg 9-hole ($137,598) ($148,878) ($141,440) ($141,057) ($163,465)
Bristol 18-hole ($98,811) ($263,090) ($177,037) ($126,039) ($177,825)
Buena Vista 18-hole ($406,478) ($65,500) ($188,817) ($252,255) ($248,039)
Charlottesville (2 courses) 2 courses 18-hole+9-hole $33,843 ($20,240) ($116,354) ($240,378) ($173,016)
Hampton (Woodlands) 18-hole ($219,658) ($156,914) ($196,379) ($169,073) ($359,121)
Hampton Three 9-hole ($569,174) ($451,430) ($457,596) ($418,464) ($489,438)
Harrisonburg 18-hole ($546,537) ($342,600) ($1,203,152) ($626,368) ($405,068)
Henrico 18-hole ($868,038) ($83,583) ($114,978) ($55,420) $10,458
Newport News (Deer Run & Cardina Two 18-hole ($441,172) $37,980 ($135,048) $64,672 ($201,292)
Norfolk One 18-hole + two 9-hole $292,829 $66,724 ($14,216) ($76,664) ($308,852)
Portsmouth One 18-hole + one 9-hole ($212,658) ($77,765) ($243,622) ($441,959) ($729,058)
Prince William County Three 18-hole $282,121 ($127,875) ($717,957) ($752,243) ($803,770)
Virginia Beach Three 18-hole ($28,666) ($572,565) ($63,352) ($415) ($81,150)
Warren County 9-hole ($2,308) ($35,213) ($68,030) ($86,962) ($105,507)
Total all courses ($2,922,305) ($2,240,949) ($3,837,978) ($3,322,625) ($4,235,143)
Average ($208,736) ($160,068) ($274,141) ($237,330) ($302,510)
Petersburg 18-hole (closed, then reopened '08) no data no data no data no data ($434,255)
Salem 9-hole no data ($20,000) no data ($26,731) ($78,822)
Staunton 18-hole no data no data ($15,951) $31,654 $38,887