HISTORY OF THE
ORO VALLEY GOLF FIASCO

$6.8 MILLION LOSSES
from golf & restaurant operations through Dec. 2017

BACKGROUND

In 2014, Mayor Hiremath and Councilmembers Hornat, Snider and Waters voted to purchase the El Conquistador Country Club, Golf and Tennis facilities from their largest campaign contributor. This vote took place two weeks after residents learned about the deal.

The Mayor and Councilmembers Hornat, Snider and Waters then voted to approve a half cent sales tax increase to cover all costs associated with the facilities. This sales tax revenue is funneled into a newly created Community Center Fund and treated as revenue. However, the roughly $2 Million in annual sales tax revenue has not covered the expenditures nor the capital improvements promised by the Town.

Update showing a $1.7 Million loss just in Fiscal Year 2017-2018:
Summary
Details

To help you better understand this issue:

Video overview of the transaction and its consequences

• The Great Golf Boondoggle

Other golf videos

• El Conquistador Golf Purchase: An Unforgiving Legacy

Media articles & resident opinion letters

• The Secret is Out 12/10/14 – Explorer Editor opines on “money sucking golf course” purchase
• Golf Recommendation 02/28/2018 – in Voices: You Say on Tucson Local Media
• Actual Troon Golf Losses & Details
  • Troon Golf Losses – Fiscal Year Summary
  • Troon Golf Losses – Average net % Loss by month

For additional details:

• See the Financial Summary of the Acquisition Proposal – El Conquistador Country Club presented by Town Staff in December 2014.
• Read the 2017 Executive Summary from the El Conquistador Golf and Tennis Assessment and Recommendations as prepared by the National Golf Foundation for $50,000.
• View the complete, 170 page, 2017 National Golf Foundation Assessment and Recommendations