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Regular Session 1941 December 6, 2004 somewhere to safely learn the game and practice all the skills under the direction of a teaching professional. A learning and practice facility is inherent to the operation of a golf course. This will be a major benefit to youth who otherwise might not be appropriately exposed to golf and intimidated in trying to learn while actually playing the course. By having the teaching center we can offer top-quality youth clinics and department-operated day camp outings. Their families can learn the game, its rules and traditions, and learn to love a healthy life-time sport. McNair and Brittany Middle Schools are ideally located for hundreds of students to conveniently access the teaching center for physical education classes. Students who participate in the golf program can be given special passes to encourage them to continue learning and playing the game with their families and friends. Who knows? This facility might enable development of a University City Tiger to join our many lions! The teaching center will be an added amenity for current golf course users and be a draw for increasing play by attracting golfers of all ages who desire to practice using a variety of their clubs prior to playing a round of golf. This will increase the revenue the golf course earns. The teaching center would be self-supporting and would bring in necessary funds for other Master plan projects. It is an integral part of the recommended Ruth Park Master Plan. Financing could be public or private, as the Council prefers. Mike Molloy, 8130 Teasdale Avenue, came to talk about this proposal in the context of golf in the Metropolitan Saint Louis area, where, he said, the game of golf is played less both nationally and locally and there is a proliferation of new golf courses, leading to a saturation of golf courses. He cited a few other details affecting golf courses and how they impact Ruth Park: increased greens fees for non-residents and competition from the newly renovated Forest Park Golf Course, which offers three nine-hole courses, a new club house and restaurant, and draws the same users as Ruth Park, with weekend fees comparable to non-resident ones for Ruth Park. He mentioned that the proposed practice site would bring positive benefits to the community, because citizens currently have to drive to other parts of the Saint Louis area to find this facility, and he emphasized that it would be a "viable, long-term revenue stream" for the City. He favors a golf course able to support itself with no need for subsidized funding from the City. Acme Price, 8236 Balson, asked the Council to consider very carefully the comments of the City Manager and of those of Mr. Molloy. He said he opposed these proposed changes to Ruth Park because the contract which hired the present golf professional stipulated that he be required to start a "minority school" to teach black men and women to become professional managers able to run PGA facilities. Fifty cents of every ticket, matched by the City, was directed towards this proposal. Twenty thousand dollars per year were estimated to be generated by this process. The program never evolved as planned and the plan fell into neglect. He said that the private financing proposal may end up the way the 50 cent proposal did sixteen years ago. He urged the Council to Page 6