City Weighs Selling Renowned Golf Club to Private Developer

According to recent reports, the city of Virginia Beach is weighing the potential sale of its renowned, city-owned Virginia Beach National Golf Club to a private developer. The move comes after more than a year of confidential discussions with Dragas Companies, a local real estate firm.

The city has also received interest from several other developers for the golf course and surrounding properties, which total approximately 350 acres. Of this, the golf course itself makes up around 225 acres, while the YMCA First Tee youth training facility occupies 75 acres, and the remaining 50 acres are undeveloped.

The city's request for proposals indicates a desire to maintain a publicly accessible 18-hole golf course on the land, even if it is sold to a private entity. However, the potential residential development plans proposed by Dragas Companies could impact both the golf course and the First Tee facility.

The golf course operators have expressed concerns about the future of the course under private ownership, fearing that developers may not have the "long game" in mind to properly maintain and operate the facility. The city has also acknowledged that the golf course is in need of significant repairs and improvements, with an estimated $1.8 million already being invested in upgrades.

Any potential sale of the property would require a super-majority vote by the City Council, and the city has stated that the "answer could be no change" if the proposals do not align with the city's goals for the site.