The renovation of the Glencoe Golf Club including a new clubhouse has led to a dispute between the Village of Glencoe and the Forest Preserves of Cook County.
After more than a year of talks, the two government entities have so far failed to come to terms on a proposed lease extension for the new clubhouse, a tree removal understanding and promotion of the golf course throughout the county.
The two sides need to come to an agreement as the Golf Club is located on both village and FPCC property.
The Golf Club operated under an agreement originally installed in the 1920s that was updated in 2017. The issue has taken on a new dynamic since the spring of 2023 when Glencoe voters approved a $15 million bond sale referendum permitting the village to overhaul the existing Glencoe Golf Club. A major component of the updated golf club will be the construction of a new clubhouse/pro shop replacing the current clubhouse that is approximately 100 years old.
However, both the existing and proposed clubhouse sits on FPCC property and thus the village pays the county 3.6% of the gross revenues from the Golf Club on annual basis. Village President Howard Roin said at a July Village Board meeting the village just sent the county an approximate $97,300 lease payment.
Led by the bond sale referendum, Glencoe voters are financing the new building along with a series of amenities for the Golf Club that is scheduled to open either in late 2025 or early 2026. The village is estimating costs now stand at $18 million.
Roin believes the county should extend the current lease to the village, specifically through the end of the 21st century.
“We have stepped up and we have put $18 million into this joint asset and we think it would be fair to extend the lease,” Roin said at a recent Village Board meeting.
However, the FPCC is not interested in doing that.
“That timeline would tie our hands to even consider any possible changes to the use of the property for generations,” FPCC spokesman Carl Vogel responded in an email. “That’s an obligation we are unwilling to concede.”
A second issue centers on the removal of trees necessitated by a reconfiguration of the property including its new buildings and a renovated parking lot.
Village Manager Phil Kiraly wrote in an email the village initial proposal included the removal of some trees that range in quality. He said no one wants to see trees unnecessarily removed, but some changes may be needed.
“The agreement sets forth the footprint within which the building and parking lot can be constructed, and we’re committed to staying as true to that as possible while making sure the facility meets our requirements,” he noted.
The FPCC rejected Glencoe’s initial proposal for tree removal and the two sides appear to be working on a modified arrangement.
“The FPCC has a tree mitigation plan designed to limit the destruction of trees for any development and when necessary, provide funding for ecological restoration,” Vogel wrote. “Using this as a guide, we have worked with the village, and we appreciate the significant reconfiguration they have made to the proposed site footprint to remove fewer trees. We’re now waiting to hear the specifics on which trees will still be affected, which will determine our proposal for restoration mitigation funds.”
Finally, the FPCC acknowledged the village has proposed environmentally-friendly options but still seeks other changes.
“Considering the use of public lands for the Glencoe Golf Club, we are asking for a deeper commitment to promoting this public course and facilities across Cook County and making it more accessible to a wider range of residents,” Vogel wrote.
Roin counters the current operation of the village benefits people throughout the area.
“We don’t think we should punished for doing what we are doing which is putting up a bunch of money for this joint venture which is a benefit not to the citizens of Glencoe but to all the residents of the county who play on the exact same terms,” Roin added.
Both sides said conversations are ongoing and expressed hope an agreement can be achieved.
Cook County Commissioner Scott Britton, 14th, whose district includes Glencoe said he has been trying to find a middle ground between the two entities. Cook County commissioners serve simultaneously on the FPCC board.
“There are competing priorities,” he said. “The Forest Preserve is trying to fulfill its mission.”
Vogel noted Glencoe is one of 10 golf courses and one driving range on FPCC property.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.