A $6.3 million renovation project at the Village Links of Glen Ellyn is set to get underway and if all goes well, the work could be completed by the middle of 2013.
At its Sept. 24 meeting, the village of Glen Ellyn’s Board of Trustees approved a construction contract and the sale of more than $5 million in bonds, according to a story in the Chicago Tribune.
When the issue came before the trustees back in May, several were shocked at the estimated costs of construction. The price tag for the construction increased $3 million from an estimated $3.3 million to $6.3 million, Glen Ellyn Patch reported.
At that time, Trustee Peter Cooper said, "I think the worst mistake we can make is to do this improvement [thinking] that it's going to be self-sustaining based on the numbers that we've seen."
Cooper’s view on the Village Links renovation did not change and he was the only trustee to vote against the project at the board meeting, according to the Tribune story. He said he was concerned that based on financial projections, the village would end up needing to use village funds to subsidize the project.
The improvements include a new patio, dining hall, bar, banquet area and more parking.
Golf course revenues are expected to pay for the project’s cost, the Tribune reported.
He sat in on the Rec. Commission meeting for two years and saw the inability of the golf course to run a successful food service operation (lost over one million dollars). There is NO formal marketing plan to bring in new business for the restaurant and banquet room. I hope it works out. Good Luck