IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - University of Iowa officials are making plans to seek out a third party to lease land near Finkbine Golf Course and develop a small hotel and conference center, according to letters sent June 23 to members of the nearby University Club.
The letters were sent in response to concerns raised by club members to an earlier letter announcing that UI would be closing the half-century-old University Club in September 2018. Both letters were signed by Rod Lehnertz, UI senior vice president for finance and operations, and Tom Rocklin, the outgoing UI vice president for student life.
Lehnertz and Rocklin explain that University Club revenues have declined in recent years - covering the club’s operational costs, but failing to cover the $6.525 million purchase price for the property back in 2008-09. Because of the shortfall, they write, UI has to cover about $600,000 annually from general education funds.
“The aging facility also requires significant and growing building system repairs,” Lehnertz and Rocklin write. “It would not be prudent to use general education funds for these increasing deferred maintenance needs, particularly in light of state budget cuts and increasing pressures on the general education fund.”
The announcement of the University Club’s closing came as UI officials have been finalizing plans for development on the Finkbine Golf Course and its aging clubhouse. The University Club - formerly known as the University Athletic Club - is located on land adjacent to the course.
“In August, we will present to the Board of Regents the fully gift-funded plan for Finkbine and intent to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a third party to lease the land, and develop and manage a small hotel/conference center, programmed to take best advantage of the two adjacent facilities,” Lehnertz and Rocklin wrote.
No part of the actual Finkbine Golf Course would be included in any future third party lease, UI officials told the Iowa City Press-Citizen (https://icp-c.com/2sGWPo2 ) Friday. Any development would be generally on the site of the existing University Club and associated parking.
Lehnertz, however, had counseled against sharing such information with University Club members before the scheduled Aug. 2 meeting of the regents, according to emails released Friday in response to a public records request.
“The workers now know (important), but what is the critical need to formally inform members now?” Lehnertz wrote in a June 6 email. “I recognize that rumors may already be circulating, but as we are not taking the Finkbine project to the BOR until August, I would if possible prefer to get past August 2 before sending formal notice.”
In other emails at the time, Lehnertz expressed concern that too much released information could “tamper with” regent approval for “a hotel plan.” He also pointed out the university had not yet received donations that would cover the development costs for the broader Finkbine project.
“One could consider a more general note that only clarifies that the UClub will continue to operate, ’as is’ through the 2018 summer. Then people can plan,” Lehnertz wrote. “Until we actually execute a fully approved set of projects, there will always be rumors and questions/concerns.”
Other officials advocated for moving forward quickly with the information.
“There has been so much talk/rumor going on for months,” wrote Cory Lockwood, associate director of the Iowa Memorial Union. “I’d think it would be best to get back ahead of it. If there is no doubt of the closure date, there wouldn’t seem to be harm in sending it out.”
The possibility of a boutique hotel built on or near the UI golf course has been a topic of conversation in the community for a while.
Jim Lane, a member of the University Heights City Council, said he and the city engineer had an informal meeting with Lehnertz about six months ago. The main focus of the meeting, Lane said, concerned the university’s desire to move Finkbine Road, which currently connects with Melrose in University Heights.
Lane said Lehnertz noted at that time that UI was committed to building a new clubhouse for the golf course, but he mentioned the university also was looking into a number of other possible uses, including a hotel.
“They were clear the only plan that was firm at that time was the clubhouse,” Lane said.
UI officials received permission from the regents last fall to move forward with plans to replace the clubhouse and support facility on the golf course.
The replacement facility would be about 20,000 square feet on two levels, according to regent documents. The $10 million project would be funded by Athletics Department gifts, and no state appropriations would be used.
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Information from: Iowa City Press-Citizen, https://www.press-citizen.com/
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