Is spending $2.7 million on a Reception Pavilion at Stanley Golf Course Justified?

The February 28 New Britain Common Council meeting has an agenda item requesting the Common Council to approve funding an installation of a reception pavilion in the New Britain-owned golf course for $2,698,000 by Diversity Construction Group LLC of Wallingford, CT.

While a reception pavilion at the golf course would provide a location to host events and guests at the golf course, the question is whether the golf course generates sufficient funds to justify such an investment. Between 2007 and 2023 (17 years) the golf course lost $244,366. In the last 11 years, during mayor Erin Stewart terms in office, the golf course generated a mere $25,987 revenue – essentially a balanced budget.

As the city of New Britain is struggling to fund flooding projects which threaten many households and has received recurring requests to increase funding of its schools which struggle with crowded classrooms and increased spending on students with special needs and bilingual education, could the city afford such a luxury?

Cover image from website of the city of New Britain.