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To: Mayor Chadwick, Councilman David Hershey, Councilman Kevan Wheelock, Councilwoman Jennifer Salmonsen, Councilman Kevin Nielsen From: Citizens for Star Subject: Willowbrook Development Golf Course April 11, 2023 Dear City Council, Golf and golf courses have had a rather bumpy past and trends in golf and should be considered when evaluating the current Willowbrook proposal. We have attached several articles to help you understand the issues at hand. Please note that these are only a few of the articles of the many that are available through a google search. In the 1980’s and 1990’s, golf courses were in their heyday in the US. During that time, a new golf course was created each day. Developers saw it as a way to attract buyers for the houses surrounding the golf courses. Since then, golf participation has been declining at per year. In fact, many golf courses have gone out of business. leaving the surrounding developments with housing prices that have dropped by as much as 40%. City governments have had the choice of either buying the courses to keep the land from going fallow or finding an operator who would be willing to take on the risk of a failing business. Lawsuits between HOAs, the owner/operators of the course, and the cities that have been party to the developments, are common. Approximately 8% of the population plays golf While there are several letters in your prep packet for the Willowbrook Golf Development in favor of another golf course, most of these people are not financially involved and therefore, have no responsibility for the success or failure of yet another one. The parties that are financially involved are the future development homeowners, the HOAs, the golf course owners, the surrounding neighborhoods, and the cities involved in the approval of the developments. The golfers who play the courses make a lot of noise about how the public wants another course, or about how “this one” cannot fail because of who designed it. But if it does fail, they can simply play somewhere else. They will have no legal standing in future lawsuits arising from a business failure and therefore, their opinions have little value in the decision-making process or the approval of any new development proposal. This letter is short because the attached articles reveal the whole truth about golf courses that have come and gone in the US. Please read them and decide for yourself if the Willowbrook proposal is a reasonable enterprise in a sinking market. If you had time to watch only one video, we recommend that you watch the following one from the Wall Street Journal: Sincerely, The Citizens for Star organization Anadeane Galbraith 9758 W. Lanktree Gulch Road, Star Cherie Shields 9947 W. Lanktree Gulch Rd., Star Rochelle Henson 5233 N. High Prairie Place, Star Lisa Priapi 10325 W. Lanktree Gulch Road, Star Sabrina Newberry 9909 W. Lanktree Gulch Rd., Star Sara Kalfas 4241 Cowboy Lane, Star Kyriacos Kalfas 4241 Cowboy Lane, Star Richard Moore 25385 Desert Springs Circle, Star Monte Smith 10257 W. Lanktree Gulch Road, Star ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK---