ABERDEEN, S.D. (KELO) — The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks plans to start looking later this year for new management of the Spring Creek 18-hole golf course at Harrisburg.
The original intent was to develop public camping on some part of the land that sits southwest of Good Earth State Park that the department runs in Lincoln County, just south of Sioux Falls. But when the department’s non-profit arm, the South Dakota Parks and Wildlife Foundation, in May 2015 purchased the two tracts totaling 194.4 acres on a 10-year contract for deed, the real estate came with a catch.
The homeowners association attached restrictive covenants that specifically ban, forever, all camping from the east side of the property where the homeowners live. Also prohibited on that east side are any commercial or residential development or construction, as well as any drive-thru camping dump station or construction of any temporary or permanent structures.
Those restrictive covenants further prohibit for at least 20 years any development of camping on the property’s west side. The covenants will automatically renew for 10-year periods starting in 2025 unless all sides agree to change them.
The foundation has leased the course to private management during the seven years since. Al Nedved, assistant director for the state Division of Parks and Recreation, sat down Friday with the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission to talk about the future of the site.
Nedved told commissioners the department is looking at extending the golfing arrangement for at least five or 10 years. He acknowledged the department doesn’t have expertise in golf-course management. So he’s opened talks with several golf-course operators in the area.
“It does play a role in the overall golfing community in the Sioux Falls area,” Nedved said. As for the other operators, he noted, “We did see some interest there.”
Nedved said the department plans to issue a request for proposals in the near future. Negotiations have also started with the course’s current management on how personal property might be handled and on financial information about the course’s business operations.
“We’re kind of working through that settlement agreement,” Nedved said.
Good Earth State Park doesn’t offer camping. Commissioner Robert Whitmyre of Webster asked whether any other spots in the area could be developed for camping.
Nedved said Palisades State Park near Garretson is the closest. They’re 25 miles apart. He said there are no other properties already in GFP’s portfolio.
GFP has golfing at Fisher Grove State Park. The 10-hole course along the James River between Frankfort and Redfield is managed by the Fisher Grove Country Club.