ORMOND BEACH, Fla. — About 20 residents gathered at the gates of the former River Bend Golf Course in Ormond Beach to voice concerns about the property’s future, as three groups have expressed interest in purchasing the 172-acre site.
The golf course has been closed since 2020, after its former operator filed for bankruptcy. Since then, neighbors have pushed for the city to find a way to reopen the course or sell the property to someone willing to restore it.
“Bring golf back to Ormond Beach!” resident Sheila Andrews-Lind shouted as the crowd cheered.
But not every proposal would preserve the golf course.
Two groups have expressed interest in reopening or revamping the golf course. A third recently submitted a letter of intent proposing an expansion of the airport business park and the addition of hangars.
That possibility has some neighbors concerned about the impact on their community and the surrounding environment.
“I want the wetlands and nature to stay, not have a bunch of cement and noise added to my community,” resident Nancy Wiegand said.
Arthur Armstrong said the neighborhood was built around the golf course and the ability for residents to use it.
“The whole course was built around the fact that we could go in and play golf anytime we wanted with our own golf carts,” Armstrong said.
Despite the competing proposals, there is a major hurdle: The property is part of Ormond Beach Municipal Airport land and is not currently for sale. The city said it needs to update its airport master plan and work through Federal Aviation Administration requirements before moving forward with a change in use.
City leaders are waiting for clarification from the FAA before deciding on next steps. There is no timeline for a decision.
For residents, the uncertainty has become a source of frustration after six years of seeing the property sit behind fences and no-trespassing signs.
“It’s an eyesore, it’s an embarrassment to our community to drive by and see this fence that’s been up for six years and the land not maintained, when there’s still River Bend Golf on the signs on both corners at both intersections,” Andrews-Lind said.
One of the interested buyers is PGA professional Gerry James, who wants to purchase River Bend and restore it as a public golf course.
The mayor and residents have referenced a proposed $2 million purchase price and $18 million in capital improvements. James has said he wants to develop one of the state’s best public golf facilities, with golf experts helping shape the project.
However, the city must work through the airport planning process and federal requirements before a potential sale or change in use can move forward.
For neighbors, the central question remains whether River Bend will once again become a golf course — or take on an entirely different future.
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