Baytown — In a close race in which final numbers weren’t announced until well after midnight, Baytown’s Proposition 24, which would have allowed the city to purchase Evergreen Point Golf Course for redevelopment, appears to have failed, based on final but unofficial numbers.
A narrow positive vote in the 19 voting precincts in Harris County were not enough to offset a negative vote in the two Chambers County precincts, leading to a defeat with 1,759 votes in favor and 1,819 against.
Many of the most visible leaders of the community supported the proposal, which would have prevented the demise of the city’s only remaining golf course.
Opponents, while showing less organized opposition, painted the purchase as a risky roll of the dice that could lead to continuing costs beyond the $12.5 million to purchase and renovate the course.
Had the proposal passed, the City of Baytown would have bought about half of the Evergreen Point Golf Course and renovated it. The city would have also bought adjacent land on which to build additional golf holes for an 18-hole destination quality golf course, with additional land for other park development.
The failure of the proposition paves the way for the owners of the property to continue their plans to redevelop the property as a subdivision barring a recount or other intervention.
Via The Baytown Sun
