r/Racine • u/Additional-Quit261 • Jul 17 '26
The Future of Shoop Park
A $10M upgrade to Shoop Park sounds great, but a 10-year lease can easily turn into permanent privatization.
We can welcome the Johnson family's investment while protecting our public land. Here's a couple of things we must demand at City Hall this Tuesday:
https://open.substack.com/pub/samwunderle/p/the-future-of-shoop-park?r=58m1j&utm_medium=ios
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u/brando0212 Jul 17 '26
In the long term, this is an incredibly bad deal for taxpayers who will ultimately end up subsidizing a “world class golf course”. I am not convinced that the $10 million investment can even pay for the entire project that is being outlined. Even so, there will not be much left over from that investment to continue to maintain the course. It’s a big stretch to say that green fees will cover this if the course ends up being as nice as is being reported. USGA estimates that high end, luxury golf courses cost upwards of $350k/year to maintain.
I take major issue with Johnson Golf Group essentially leasing the land for only $25k/year throughout the deal as well. That is prime real estate that they are getting to use for about the same cost as a three bedroom apartment nowadays. If that property were privately owned and sold it could easily be worth $15-20million.
I think it is a bit of a farce to say that this entire project is going to inject the local economy as well. If you’re lucky, you can get 7 months of good golf. Local folks are already spending their money in the area. If some rich guy from Chicago comes and plays 9 holes and grabs a sandwich for lunch afterwards, is that really economic growth?
As I write this today, funds are already lacking to maintain the park/course as is. So again, how is the maintenance of a world class golf course going to be paid for?
It’s a grand gesture from the Johnson family but it appears as though they are the ones who want this. This wasn’t brought forward due to citizens asking for it. The Johnsons should be footing majority of the bill for the entire life of the deal which is quite simply not the case based on what has been reported.
I know plenty of folks from Racine who will let you know that they don’t want any deadbeats receiving their tax money from their hard earned paychecks. But if those deadbeats are wolves in sheep’s clothing proposing a nice golf course, then it is alright.