- March 9, 2025
Flagler Beach now owns an inoperative golf course after winning it at foreclosure auction Wednesday.
The city paid $490,000 for the property, which formerly housed the Ocean Palm Golf Club in the south end of Flagler Beach, said Bruce Campbell, the city’s manager. The Flagler Beach City Commission authorized Campbell to bid up to $500,000 for the property.
The only other bidder at the auction was a representative from Textron Business Credit Inc., the company that held the property’s mortgage, which had a balance of $1.7 million, Campbell said.
Now that the 33-acre property officially belongs to the city, commissioners will need to decide what to do with it. The property is zoned recreational, so commercial or residential use of the property is not allowed. At former meetings, commissioners said the property’s value is intrinsic: Rather than using it to generate revenue, the former golf course will add to the quality of life for citizens.
Residents have complained of flooding problems, overgrown grass and an infestation of rats and snakes since the property fell into disrepair years ago.
Campbell does not recommend that the city restore the nine-hole golf course that formerly operated on the property, saying that would be too costly to be practical. However, the ultimate decision falls to the City Commission. Commissioners could also decide to turn it into a park, a green space, a driving range, a network of trails or anything else that fits into the recreational zoning designation.
To read previous coverage about the city's decision to bid on the property, click here.
