OLD BRIDGE. N.J. – A spokesperson for a township just south of New York City said its new golf complex will not open until a management firm is found to run the facility.
The complex’s driving range is expected to open by the end of July, but that is subject to finding a management firm, Township Business Administrator and Director of Finance/CFO Himanshu Shah said.
“The range opening may be delayed if we don’t have a management company in place,” he added.
The course is expected to open in late fall, Shah said. Old Bridge is just south of New Brunswick, which sits near the southern tip of Staten Island.
“It is very difficult for a municipality to operate such a facility,” Shah said. “There is a lot of intricacy required.”
Old Bridge Golf Club at Rose Lambertson is located on the north and south side of Lambertson Road. The facility includes an 18-hole golf course, driving range, short-game practice area, practice putting green and mini-golf area.
Old Bridge Golf Club at Rose Lambertson is expected to open later this year.
The project also includes a 6,000-square-foot clubhouse, 5,000-square-foot maintenance building, eight bioretention basins and six wet ponds for stormwater management throughout the golf course.
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As part of a redevelopment agreement, Efrem Gerszberg, owner of 2020 Acquisitions, a national real estate development company, agreed to build the course, at no cost to the township, and turn it over to the township.
At its June 13 meeting, the Township Council unanimously approved going out to bid for a management company to operate the complex.
The township will maintain ownership of the land and the golf course, township officials said.
One of the conditions of the contract, Shah said, is the selected provider make annual payments to the township,
It’s unusual for a governmental entity to operate and manage a golf course because employees don’t have the expertise, Township Attorney Mark Roselli said.
Roselli explained that competitive contracting is being used because it is “designed for specialized services and the operation of a golf course is certainly a specialized service.”
“It’s not a situation where you go out for the lowest responsible bidder because there’s so many different issues involved in managing and operating the golf course,” he said.
The management firm will be responsible for the operating, upkeep and maintenance, but also acquiring the necessary equipment for operating a golf course and the concession stand, Roselli said. The concession stand will also be management’s responsibility, he added.
“It’s not unusual to do it this way,” Roselli said. “It’s a win-win. It’s a large undertaking, but the goal is to seek and obtain it from someone who has the expertise in operating it, so that we can move forward.”
The course will have a four-tier rate schedule, with the lowest rate for Old Bridge residents, followed by Middlesex County residents, then state residents and then out-of-state residents, as required under the Green Acres agreement.
Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.