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player ready...Visitors to Centennial Park may notice things seem a bit different lately.
Bill Rehanek, senior vice president of Billy Casper Golf, whose company has taken over all golf, banquet and programming operations at the park and members of his staff, updated the Munster Town Council on Monday on progress and plans for the park.
Munster hired Billy Casper Golf in hopes of erasing an approximately $200,000 annual operating deficient. The town annually takes in $1.1 million from operations at Centennial Park, built on the former site of the Munster landfill on Calumet Avenue, against expenses of about $1.3 million, according to Munster parks director Greg Vitale.
Billy Casper Golf, a company specializing in municipal golf course operations, will receive $8,000 a month from a performance-based contract, as the town will place $117,000 in a joint account with the company to be used as startup capital. Billy Casper projects the annual deficit will drop to approximately $32,000 by the fifth year of the contract in 2020.
“We’re very optimistic what we can accomplish at Centennial,” Rehanek said.
Jered Wieland, regional vice president of Midwest operations for Billy Casper Golf, said economic success at Centennial Park hinges on the food and beverage side of the business, primarily banquets and wedding receptions. For that matter, the upcoming Mother’s Day brunch at the park’s clubhouse sold out, he said. He noted that banquet operations will move from a third party vendor to an entirely in-house production.
“Our success is about marketing and promotion more than anything else,” Wieland said.
Jill Timon, regional marketing director for Billy Casper Golf, said a Facebook campaign helped fill up the seats fast for the brunch and drove strong traffic to the park’s new website, centennialparkmunster.com.
Timon said Centennial Park has untapped potential, but knowing who is using the park and why will help determine events and appropriate pricing.
“We want to create more robust programs and special events that encompass all guests and frequent visitors,” she said. “Our focus will be on casual golfers and families.”
Council President John Reed, R-1st, said he’s hearing good things from golfers.
“Money talks and you go where the greens are best,” Reed said. “I heard they’re already in better shape than they were at this time last year.”
Several Munster staffers at the park have now become Billy Casper employees, and more jobs will be filled once a general manager is hired, according to Vitale.
Jim Masters is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.