Universal City spends $2.37M on golf course upgrades
The Universal City Council voted 4-2 on Jan. 6 to spend $2.37 million renovating Olympia Hills Golf & Event Center — a contract that came in as much as 74% higher than initial estimates.
The city-owned course at 12900 Mount Olympus will get new bunkers, irrigation upgrades, resurfaced tees, and cart path replacements under a contract with Verde Sports Construction.
Work began this month and is scheduled for completion by late July. The course will remain open during construction.
The cost overrun
Initial estimates ranged from $1.36 million to $1.89 million. The final contract is 25% to 74% higher, depending on which estimate is used.
City officials have not publicly explained the increase. The council approved the contract without requesting a revised estimate or putting the project out for additional bids.
What the money buys
The project includes:
- Removing two of the course's 52 bunkers and shrinking several oversized ones
- New sand in all remaining bunkers
- 100 new sprinkler heads and a new irrigation control system
- Laser-leveling and resurfacing tee boxes with Paspalum grass — a salt-tolerant turf commonly used on coastal and southern golf courses
- Expansion of the Par 3 course tees
- Tree pruning
- Cart path replacements
Nathan Crace, a consultant with the National Golf Foundation, designed the project.
Funded by venue tax, not property taxes
The project is funded by Universal City's venue tax — a portion of retail sales tax designated for parks and recreation. The city emphasized that no property tax dollars are being used.
That distinction matters for legal accounting, but venue tax revenue could also be spent on other parks, trails, or recreational facilities. The decision to allocate $2.37 million to golf course upgrades means those dollars are not available for other projects.
The economic argument
Supporters pointed to strong economic impact numbers. According to city data:
- The course generates approximately $7.94 million in annual economic impact
- It draws more than 80,000 visitors per year
- 90% of players come from outside Universal City
- Rounds played are up 59% since 2018
Mayor Tom Maxwell said "hundreds of friendships and business deals" have been made on the course.
Council Member Bear Goolsby emphasized that the course serves a regional audience: "90% of the players are coming from outside."
The opposition
Council members Phil Vaughan and Bernard Rubal voted against the contract. "I don't think we should be putting this kind of money into the golf course. I think it's a 'nice to have,' not a 'need to have,'" Vaughan said.
💰 Spending Lens: Is this a good use of $2.37M?
The case for: If the economic impact numbers are accurate, the course is a legitimate revenue driver. A $7.94 million annual impact on a $2.37 million investment is a 3.3x return. And if 90% of players come from outside the city, Universal City is effectively exporting a service and importing spending — a net economic positive.
The case against: The course has been open since 2000. It was presumably functional before these upgrades. The question is whether $2.37 million in improvements will generate $2.37 million in additional revenue, or whether this is maintenance spending dressed up as economic development.
The missing data: The city has not released:
- Annual operating costs for the course (does it run a profit or require subsidies?)
- Projected revenue increase from the upgrades (how much more will the city earn?)
- Opportunity cost analysis (what else could $2.37M in venue tax buy?)
The cost overrun question: A 25-74% increase over initial estimates — with no public explanation — is a red flag. Either the initial estimates were wildly inaccurate, or scope crept during the process. Both are problems.
What about private operation?
Universal City has owned and operated Olympia Hills since it opened in 2000. The city could lease the course to a private operator, as many cities do with golf facilities.
Private operation would shift maintenance costs and capital investment to the operator while still generating tax revenue and economic activity. The city would lose direct control but also shed the financial risk.
There is no indication that council has considered this option.
Source: Community Impact, Universal City Council video (Jan. 6, 2026)
