Sarasota approves agreement with Indigo Sports LLC to manage Bobby Jones Golf Club

The Bobby Jones Golf Club is currently being renovated. This photo is from before the renovations.

Sarasota is turning over management of its historic Bobby Jones Golf Club to a private company under an agreement approved this week by city commissioners.

Indigo Sports LLC will handle daily operations of the golf complex in an arrangement officials hope will stem years of financial losses for the city.

Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, and Scottsdale, Arizona, Indigo Sports manages more than 190 golf courses, country clubs and resorts, according to the company’s LinkedIn page.

Background: Sarasota City Commission chooses to permanently conserve Bobby Jones Golf Club

‘Anxious to get back’: Golfers look forward to the rebirth of Bobby Jones Golf Club

Last year, a selection committee considered several options for private management companies and ultimately chose Indigo Sports.

The City Commission voted 3-2 in January to direct city staff to continue its negotiations with Indigo. Commissioner Hagen Brody and Mayor Erik Arroyo, who dissented in that vote, wanted the city to start the negotiation process over and have the commission run the process, instead of a separate committee.

In April, the commission directed city staff to draft a management agreement with Indigo that was presented to the board on Monday. It passed unanimously.

Arroyo told the Herald-Tribune that all of his concerns with Indigo’s proposal were addressed. He also didn’t want to extend the the pursuit of a private manager.

“It’s not in anyone’s best interest to delay this process any longer,” he said.

Brody agreed, saying a new bidding process would be “counterproductive at this point.”

“I’ve garnered enough faith in them, through my discussions with them, that they have the professional experience and will devote the resources necessary to making Bobby Jones a world-class course and destination for our community and for visitors,” he said.

Sarasota is renovating the Bobby Jones Golf Club. Under the agreement, Indigo will charge the city $4,000 each month for the rest of the renovation process. It will act as the city’s representative during the renovations and will help prepare the course for re-opening.

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Once the course opens, the city will start paying Indigo $10,000 a month for managing the complex. Indigo will be responsible for golf operations, food and beverage operations, golf course maintenance, hiring and training employees, and marketing the property, among other duties.

Joe Goodrich, Indigo’s executive vice president, said his company has regional directors of operations, agronomy, marketing and human resources based in Florida who will be able to support Bobby Jones.

“We feel the city of Sarasota will benefit from our experience and proven successful track record and operating over 140 municipal … operations as well as the expertise in renovation development and opening of over 200 golf courses,” he said in an email.

The initial agreement between Indigo and the city will end on Sept. 30, 2027. If the two parties agree to continue the agreement at least 120 days before it ends, it will renew for two successive two-year periods.

The golf course, which opened in 1926, was originally constructed by legendary course designer Donald Ross in the 1920s.

Anne Snabes covers city and county government for the Herald-Tribune. You can contact her at asnabes@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter at @a_snabes.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota’s Bobby Jones Golf Club will be managed by Indigo Sports