Operations and management of the Wildcreek Golf Course have been turned over to a private company and will be binding until part of the property is transferred to the Washoe County School District to build a high school.
On Thursday, Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA), which operates the course, agreed unanimously to award the contract to Duncan Golf Management. It takes effect May 1.
Wildcreek, 3500 Sullivan Lane in Sparks, has an 18-hole, par-72 course and a 9-hole, par-27 course and is operating at a loss of approximately $270,000 annually. A 2,500-seat high school is expected to open in fall 2022 and occupy 75 of the course’s 212 acres.
Duncan also operates the Lakeridge and Wolf Run golf courses in Reno, the Eagle Valley course in Carson City, and the Dayton Valley course in Dayton.
Some highlights of the agreement:
- It’s for no cost or revenue sharing for the operation of Wildcreek, hence total costs and potential losses will be the responsibility of Duncan, which will retain all revenues earned from the operation of Wildcreek.
- The equipment currently in Wildcreek remains for use by Duncan, and RSCVA will not guarantee the working condition of the equipment.
- All pro shop inventory will be transferred at cost to Duncan at time of transition.
- RSCVA will continue to make payment to the city of Sparks on its effluent agreement.
- Major capital costs will be RSCVA’s responsibility.
- During the transition, RSCVA and Duncan will work to identify options for Wildcreek employees, including potential employment with Duncan.
The school, which hasn’t been named, would serve the existing Hug High School zone and provide overcrowding relief for Spanish Springs High School, and potentially other area high schools. Hug would then be repurposed into a 1,400-seat career and technical academy.
Funds for school construction to alleviate crowding are coming from the November 2016 0.54 percent voter-approved sales tax increase. Such dollars can go only toward construction of and refurbishing of facilities. This money cannot be used for teacher or administrator salaries or other school operations.
