Clark County is putting Tri-Mountain Golf Course up for sale.
Michelle Schuster, director of internal services for the county, said the request for bids will go out Wednesday. A tour of the course, 1701 N.W. 299th St., Ridgefield, will begin at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 25.
“We hope to close the sale in January 2025 should the council approve the bidder. The final approval would be during a council meeting,” Schuster said.
In March, the county council approved a one-year contract extension to keep the course open and running. Previous contracts had been for 10 years.
“We did a one-year extension of the current management contract … so that we could determine the future of the property,” Schuster said.
The number of golf courses in Clark County, either public or private, has dwindled in recent years. In 2022, the county purchased most of the Cedars on Salmon Creek course. The 118-acre area was designated as the Gordy Jolma Family Natural Area under the county’s parks system. Lakeview Par 3 course closed in 2021 as did Hartwood Golf Course near Brush Prairie. Gone, too, is the Green Mountain Golf Course in Camas.
Who might be interested in purchasing the county property and keep it running? Buyers could include a high-end developer looking to build a planned golf course community. With ilani just 2 miles from the course, the sale could be an opportunity for the Cowlitz Indian Tribe to expand its resort offerings. Tribal officials would not comment on the idea.
The decision to put the course up for sale was never discussed in a public meeting and instead was made during an executive session, which is not open to the public or media. When the council is ready to make a decision, Council Chair Gary Medvigy said that would likely happen in a public meeting. While it is possible additional legal issues needing to be discussed in executive session could arise, Medvigy said no issues are currently anticipated.
“Any decision and discussion will be in public for sure. From my perspective, the main issue is this: Does the property get a 10- , 20-, 30-year restriction or none at all to be kept as a golf course?” Medvigy said. “Of course, restrictions like this would diminish the sales price.”
Medvigy said the decision to sell the property wasn’t made lightly.
“So much has been put off by prior councils and prior managers,” he said. Medvigy listed off many capital needs, including a new sheriff’s office headquarters and a jail remodel. “We are being asked to join in the expensive and not fully funded bridge shelter, a new facility for the county veteran services. The list goes on.”
