Two City of Rhinelander committees met recently to consider the future of Rhinelander's Northwood Golf Course on the city's far west side.
Late last year, the Northwoods River News reported the city had lent the golf course more than a million dollars over decades with little hope of getting it repaid. The property was offered by Wausau Paper and the course began operation in 1987. A deed restriction said the property had to be a municipal course or the land had to be returned to Wausau Paper.
City officials said the current Wausau Paper corporate status is unclear after a sale, with the central question whether there's an entity to work with. The company was said to have been sold to a Swedish interest. Members of the Finance and Golf Course committees are trying to sort out what can be done.
Finance Chair Mark Pelletier....
"....finding out the actual deed, there are restrictions on it. You can't just sell it, you can't rent it out long term, lease it out long term, things like that. We figured out how to determine who the holder of the deed is and see if they would allow some of those restrictions removed...."
Pelletier says they're working toward getting all of the options out on the table....
"....I think even after snow is gone and it becomes golf season, I think we're looking at getting a valuation done on it, an appraisal. We're looking at everything from keeping it going to selling it, to closing it, long term lease, we're putting every option on the table...."
Pelletier says the next meeting is planned within the next several weeks when more information about the deed and other questions is gathered
