Palm harbor golf course: operational models, capital investment strategies, and partnership concepts

The City of Palm Coast, Florida, located in Flagler County, issued a Request for Information (RFI) on February 4, 2026, seeking non-binding conceptual information from experienced golf course operators, hospitality providers, and public-private partnership entities regarding operational models, capital investment strategies, and partnership concepts for Palm Harbor Golf Club. The RFI solicits information on four primary operating model alternatives: Full-Service Management Agreement, Long-Term Operating Lease, Hybrid Management-Lease Agreement, and Public-Private Partnership with Defined Capital Commitments. Respondents must address company qualifications, recommended operating models, resident pricing protection strategies, maintenance and course quality plans, capital investment frameworks, financial structures including revenue sharing arrangements, community benefit strategies, innovation and modernization concepts, and professional references. The Palm Harbor Golf Club is an 18-hole, par-72 municipal golf course originally developed in 1971-1973 and acquired by the City in 2007-2008, which subsequently completed a comprehensive $4.5 million renovation in 2009. The City's key objectives include maintaining resident affordability, protecting public access, ensuring high-quality course conditions, exploring revenue-sharing models to reduce operating costs, and evaluating operator-funded enhancements while retaining full City ownership of land and major improvements. If an RFP is subsequently issued based on this RFI information, evaluation criteria would include Maintenance Standards & Course Quality (25 points), Operator Qualifications & Municipal Experience (15 points), Financial Structure & Revenue Return to City (15 points), Resident Pricing Protection Strategy (15 points), Community Benefit & Public Purpose Enhancement (10 points), and Innovation, Modernization & Facility Enhancements (20 points), for a total of 100 possible points. The question deadline is February 18, 2026, at 2:00 PM EST, with responses due by February 27, 2026, at 2:00 PM EST through the City's Bonfire Procurement Portal.

No set-aside designations or restrictions on eligible respondent types are specified in the RFI documentation. The current golf course operates under City ownership with contracted maintenance services and a clubhouse food-and-beverage concession lease managed by Loopers Par & Grille, which began operations in 2023 as a net-positive revenue source. Greens fees currently range from $40 to $60 including cart, positioning the course competitively within the regional market. This RFI is non-binding in nature, and no award will be made; rather, the information gathered will be used to refine City policy, inform future capital planning, and potentially determine whether a future Request for Proposals is warranted. Respondents must submit an Intent to Bid by February 26, 2026, at 2:00 PM EST to access the submission portal, and all submissions must be made electronically in PDF format through the Bonfire Hub portal, with a maximum file size of 1000 MB. No specific budget range or award value is provided, as this is an information-gathering solicitation rather than a binding procurement.