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. , .. ~ of Paris Study of Lake Crook March, 2001 I . re~pondents to the survey mentioned conStructing an indoor fishing pier hut on Lake Crook. We favor the idea only if the city hires a full-time caretaker for the property. .3.3.2 What about golf? Several participants mentioned golf as a possible use of Lake Crook lands. While economic development grants and Texas Parks and Wildlife grants could be used to partially fund golf courses, such courses after they are built must be self supporting, A golf course with modest club house costs between $3.0 million and $4.0 million. Industry pundits say 36,000 rounds of golf per year are necessary to support such a course. If the city were to elect to build a course there is certainly enough land on which to do it. Only about 200 acres or so is needed for a quality golf course, the terrain is excellent and there is certainly abundant supply of . \vater. An 18-hole golf course needs about 1 million gallons of water per day during grown-in and about half that much during the growing season upon reaching maturity. Alternatively, if a public course is not built, most developer-experts agree that 1,000 acres ofwell planned subdivision will usually support a golf course through the homeowners' dues, trail use fees, guest fees and enhanced lot sales prices. It is commonly considered the best of all \vorlds to intert\vine the golf course routing plan with the subdivision plan to take advantage of fairway lots, green lots and tee box lots as \vell as lake&ont and lakeview lots. In the present north shore property, to install a golf course would largely destroy the potential for home building and vice versa. The shape of the property with its numerous corners and narrows, would result in an inefficiency for high lot counts, Therefore, in order to get 1,000 acres on the north shore, an enterprising developer \vould have to acquire some of the adjacent, privately owned land. It is beyond the scope of this study to analyze the development of private golf courses. In these days of privatization, \ve are seeing more courses being taken out of the public domain than are being built into it. There are companies that specialize in nothing but golf course feasibility studies. While there may be some study out there, we have yet to see a study done where the golf course was not proven 'feasible'. \Ve choose to believe, however, golf course ownership is not a business the City of Paris should get into. Page 29 of 45