(Lawrenceville, Ga., Dec. 14, 2010) - The Collins Hill Golf Club in Gwinnett County will remain open without interruption under a new contract approved by the Board of Commissioners on Tuesday.

The County approved a one-year contract with private golf management firm CGL of Savannah, Inc. to provide management, operation and maintenance services at the course starting Jan. 1, 2011. Community Services Director Phil Hoskins said ownership of the 139-acre golf course will go back to the County from the Springbrook Golf Commission with today's approval of a separate agreement.

CGL operates other daily fee golf courses including Mystery Valley and Sugar Creek in DeKalb County along with several golf courses in Savannah and South Carolina. The County will pay CGL $6,000 per month, and the company will commit all of the net operating income to needed capital improvements in 2011. In addition, the County will not incur any costs that would be associated with maintaining and securing the property without a golf operator.

The County owned and operated the facility, then known as Springbrook Golf Course, from 1988 until 2000, when it the golf commission bought it. But the recession and adverse weather over the past few years brought economic hardship to the commission. The County agreed to pay outstanding debt on the property of just under $1.8 million in return for assets of approximately 139 acres of land, all personal property, fixtures and inventory.

CGL was the highest-scoring firm in response to the County's request-for-proposal selection process. The management firm has been involved in more than 30 golf course projects. 

Gwinnett's parks system received honors recently as best in the state by the Georgia Recreation and Park Association in addition to previous national recognition.