Future of Landings Golf Course

Well, 77 acres of city-owned land sparked a heated debate in Clearwater. This week, city council members there could decide the future of the Landings Golf Course. And there are two very different visions that are on the table here. Either keep the course as is or transform the property into a multi-million dollar sports complex. Fox 13's Jennifer Bagelis joins us now live from the newsroom. And Jennifer, there's a big decision here. So how long has this been going on? Yeah, Brianna, this debate has been playing out in Clearwater since 2020. And now city council is expected to take the next step Wednesday evening, voting on which developer it wants to begin negotiations with. Riding through the neighborhood next to the Landings Golf Course, it's hard to miss signs like this, planted outside homes. Keep Clearwater Green means keeping the land green and paying attention to what the comprehensive plan of the city of Clearwater says. Beth Davis and the grassroots group Keep Clearwater Green says that means protecting neighborhoods and our natural resources, like the 77-acre property that right now is known as the Landings Golf Club of Clearwater. It's going to be a long journey of what's possible here. On Monday, City Council will hear presentations on two proposals for the property. One would extend the lease with Clearwater Golf Associates for another 20 years, with plans for improvements to the course. The other, a $180 million proposal from Porter Development that would turn the site into a sports and entertainment complex. With multi-purpose fields, covered pickleball courts, sand volleyball, a family entertainment center, and a resort-style water park to include a lazy river. The proposal has support from some local coaches. We have major tournaments that we run every year, lots of economic impact that's now going to Sarasota and Manatee County that, quite frankly, we would rather have here in the city of Clearwater. But some neighbors are concerned about traffic and noise. While Davis says the city shouldn't move forward with either option just yet. Any vote to proceed on either one of these right now is just wrong. Pointing to a 2019 geotechnical engineering and environmental study on the property. It says the contamination testing results include arsenic and lead, dieldrin, chlordane, toxaphene, again arsenic and lead, and these need to be studied. As city council weighs two very different proposals for the future of the property. Now again, the workshop is Monday starting at 1.30 p.m., but the city says there won't be public comment during that session. Residents will have an opportunity to speak at Wednesday's city council meeting. That meeting starts at 6 p.m. when council is expected again to vote on which developer to begin negotiations with. Brianna. It'll be interesting to see how people end up speaking out for and against that, Jennifer. Thank you.