Baytown council OKs golf course deal in 4-3 votes

In two 4-3 votes, Baytown council approved a deal Thursday night to build a golf course on the site of the former Evergreen golf course on the city's south side.

Voting yes were Mayor Brandon Capetillo and council members Laura Alvarado, Charles Johnson and Mike Lester. Voting against were Chris Presley, Heather Betancourth and Jacob Powell.

The agreement includes more than $6 million in incentives from the city to the developer now called Build Baytown I. Miramar Properties, a Tennessee-based company, was the sole responder to a legal request for proposal from the city in December. 

The developer has partnered with Landscape Unlimited to develop a course at the Evergreen site using a new design called the double-loop concept. The course would be called T-36 at Baytown.  

On Thursday, council approved two ordinances that pave the way for the new course. 

The first item is a Chapter 380 Economic Development Agreement for the course, its related amenities and a 40-year lease of the property.

The city is required to pay Build Baytown I about $6 million in incentives, according to the contract’s details. In addition, the city also would provide the cost of bonds up to $80,000, so the developers could purchase performance, payment and maintenance bonds.  

Build Baytown I would execute the lease no later than 10 days after council approval, the agreement states. The developers also are obligated to pay city property taxes levied against the Evergreen land within 20 years, the agreement stated. 

The second ordinance would authorize the developer to actually build and operate the golf course. Under the Developer’s Requirements section of the contract, upon completion of the project, the property’s value should be at least $10 million, including the land and any improvements. It also states the developers will promote “further hospitality, residential and/or entertainment elements” as part of the larger area developments.  

The lease terms include the 40-year lease for $1 per year, and it requires the firm to build the course to play a minimum of 18 holes within 18 months of the agreement. 

Build Baytown I aims to build the course on the Evergreen site, but there are only 105 acres of land to work with, so the course as proposed involves golfers playing the front nine, then looping around to play the same nine holes only with fairways, tees and landing zones in different positions on the back nine.