BIXBY, Okla. — It’s the latest choice in a four-year long golf course debate that’s put a wedge in a Bixby community: whether or not the city should purchase land that use to be an 18-hole course, and use it for just a 9-hole course.
Several members of the White Hawk neighborhood in the city’s west side took to Bixby City Council chambers Monday night to air grievances about what they call a rushed process to decide on the course four years after a previous lease ran out.
White Hawk HOA President Brian Cozad said the landowner, Kevin Jordan, gets preferential treatment from business relationships with City Manager Jared Cottle, and only sent out a letter to residents last week which was nine days after it was first discussed in the city council.
Jordan denies any unethical business partnership with the city.
The council has to consider if it would purchase the land from Jordan and lease to the company that designed the 9-hole course.
“I would like the developer to unequivocally say the property is for sale for a certain price, or is not for sale," Cozad said. "The problem is there has been numerous buyers. He won’t sell. So he wants to play both sides.”
“We hope there’s a golf course," Jordan said. "We hope that that brings peace. I would love to have a win-win situation for the community and the neighbors and obviously for me and my development.”
Tulsa-based golf course firm Craig & Coin said it needs an approval decided quickly enough to begin construction in April in order to fit a timeline to open the course a year from now.
At 9:25 p.m. Monday night after two hours in a closed-door executive session, the city council motioned to have the city manager and city attorney continue negotiations with Jordan regarding the land sale.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Twitter
