Oneida Community Golf Course for Sale
JONATHAN PAWLIKA, Board Chair of Oneida Community Mansion House
ERIC STICKELS, President of Sherrill-Kenwood Golf Club, LLC
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We are announcing today that the Oneida Community Golf Club is being placed on the market for sale. The sale will include the 18-hole golf course, practice range, clubhouse/Lakeside Landing restaurant, and Sunset Lake, but will exclude the Oneida Community Cemetery and may exclude the log cabin next to the 11th tee and the wooded area known as the Larches.
The property was acquired from Oneida Ltd. in 2003 by the Not-For-Profit corporation, Oneida Community Mansion House, with funding from a grant from the Gorman Foundation.
The intention is that the property will be sold to continue its operation as a golf course and community asset. Existing operations will continue while the property is on the market.
Our hope is that the property will be purchased by a local Buyer who is familiar with the golf course/restaurant business and the historic importance of the Oneida Community Golf Club.
The decision to sell is based largely on two factors: (1) the need for funds to continue the repair and preservation of the Oneida Community Mansion House and (2) the need for succession and replacement of the company which has operated the golf course business.
For the past 22 years, our organizations have worked together to preserve the OCGC property as a community resource, but largely through the volunteer efforts and financial support of the Sherrill Kenwood Golf Club Board. We believe that it is necessary for others to assume those responsibilities to ensure the future of this asset.
Because we recognize the importance of this property to the community, our intention is to provide information about the property on the OCGC website at oneidagolf.com, the OCGC newsletter, and through direct communication with specific representatives. The property is being listed through CBRE Upstate NY brokerage in Rochester, which can be viewed at CBRE.COM/OFFICES/AFFILIATES/ROCHESTER.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS REGARDING THE PROPOSED SALE OF THE ONEIDA COMMUNITY GOLF CLUB
Q. Who owns the Oneida Community Golf Club?
A. In 2003, the golf course was purchased by a Not-For-Profit corporation known as Oneida Community
Mansion House (OCMH). This organization was formed in 1987 and owns and operates the Oneida Community Mansion House and its Grounds. The primary mission of OCMH is preserving the 93,000 square foot building, which is a National Historic Landmark and is included in the New York State and Federal Register. OCMH has its own volunteer Board of Directors and professional staff, who provide management and oversight of the Mansion House property.
Q. Who was the golf course purchased from?
A. Until the sale in 2003, the Oneida Community Golf Course was owned and operated by Oneida Ltd., which had built the facility as a part of its array of employee amenities. There was no restaurant or clubhouse facility, just a small shed where golfers would check in and could purchase non-alcoholic drinks and snacks.
Q. What did the sale of the golf course property include in 2003?
A. The purchase included the 18-hole golf course, Sunset Lake and a parcel of land which was later developed into the practice range. Located within the boundaries of the golf course is the Oneida Community Cemetery and a wooded area known as the Larches.
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Q. Who operates the golf course and restaurant?
A. In 2003, a group of local residents established a For-Profit corporation known as the Sherrill Kenwood Golf Club, LLC. (SKGC), which has as its sole purpose preserving the Oneida Community Golf Course as a community asset. When the golf course was purchased by OCMH, the property was leased to SKGC, which has operated the golf course for the past 22 years.
Q. Who owns the clubhouse and Lakeside Landing Restaurant?
A. The clubhouse and Lakeside Landing Restaurant were paid for and constructed by SKGC in 2004, but are now owned by OCMH, which acquired it in 2020. Thus, OCMH is the sole owner of all of the property associated with the Oneida Community Golf Club.
Q. Will the property still be run as a golf course once it is sold?
A. The property will be marketed as a golf course and the intent is that whoever purchases it will continue its operation as a golf course and restaurant. The hope is that the property will be purchased by a local buyer who is familiar with the golf course/restaurant business and the importance of the facility as a community asset.
Q. Will the golf course and restaurant still be open to the public?
A. The nature of the operation going forward will be up to the Buyer.
Q. Will existing members continue to be able to play the golf course?
A. Until the property is sold, all existing memberships will be honored and the golf course will continue to operate on a “business as usual basis”. No change in staff or operations are anticipated prior to the sale of the property.
Q. Could the property be sold to OCGC members?
A. Offers to purchase the property can be made by any individual or group of individuals.
Q. Why is OCMH selling the golf course?
A. The primary mission of OCMH is the maintenance and preservation of the Oneida Community Mansion House, which requires very costly repairs and improvement to the building and grounds. The sale of the golf course will generate funds which are needed to meet these financial needs.
Q. Are there other reasons for selling the golf course?
A. After 22 years of managing golf course operations, the leadership of SKGC seeks to pass this responsibility on to someone else. There is no existing plan of succession, which makes the sale of the property a necessary option.
Q. Will the golf course property continue to be available for activities by the community such as walks, skiing and dog walking?
A. How much access the community has to the property will be decided by the Buyer of the assets.
Q. Will there still be leagues open to members?
A. It will be up to the Buyer how play is organized.
Q. Will private carts be allowed on the golf course?
A. The Buyer of the property will determine whether private carts are allowed.
Q. Will the Oneida Community Cemetery be included in the sale?
A. No, the OC Cemetery will be excluded from any sale and continue to be used as an active cemetery. The log cabin next to the 11th tee and the wooded area known as the Larches may also be excluded from the sale.
Q. Is a real estate firm involved in selling the property?
A. The property has been listed for sale with CBRE Upstate NY brokerage through its Rochester, NY office. The listing agent is Andrew Gearhart, whose contact phone number is 585-784-3626 and email address is andrew.gearhart@cbre-rochester.com.
Anyone seeking additional information can view the property listing online at cbre.com/offices/affiliates/rochester, and please do not direct inquiries to golf course staff or members or OCMH staff.