WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – After the Thompson Park Golf Course lost the city $260,000 this past season, a council member alluded to the possibility of selling the course.

“I think the golf course is going to be one of those difficult decisions in the spring,” said Robert Kimball during Monday’s city council meeting.

This is the second year the city Parks and Recreation Department has maintained the golf course since the city bought it in 2023. While many people have said the course looks better than ever, the $260,000 cost has some council members wondering if they’ll need to consider a sale – something that sparked debate between council members.

“These are amenities and I think in a few months we’ve got to decide do we want amenities for our residents or do we not want amenities,” said Lisa Ruggiero, council member.

“It’s all about the bucks,” said Kimball.

“Unfortunately you have to look at recreational assets and it could be – I don’t want it to be – but it could be something we’ll have to look closely at in the future,” said Mayor Sarah Pierce.

Ruggiero, who supported the controversial purchase of the golf course, stands against the possibility of selling. She believes the course is an amenity to the city much like the Watertown Municipal Arena.

“Certainly the number is better than it was last year so I think other people are saying the same thing that it’s moving in the right direction and I think that there is still a lot of potential there,” she said.

Ruggiero said last year the city lost more money from the golf course compared to this year and argues that the revenue for the park went up by $14,000, they had twice as many tournaments this year, and they sold 180 season passes.

But the high cost to the city remains and Mayor Pierce says the $3.4 million spent on the course could have gone to other places.

“Had we had this $3.4 million to spend on things like the zoo, I would have rather seen some of that money go into the zoo and helping clean things up up there and make it a better attraction for people. There’s so many other better uses for that money that could’ve served a much broader number of people,” she said.

When it comes to next season, course officials hope to make further improvements and reduce the cost to the city.

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