NO MORE HONDA CLASSIC IN CORAL SPRINGS

GOOD RIDDANCE: CITY SAVES 2.7 Million

Tiger Woods never liked to play here anyway.

by Howard Melamed

11/06/2001The City of Coral Springs announce last night that the Honda Classic will be having their last tournament in March 2002. The Tournament Players Association match will be moved to West Palm Beach for 2003. As a result of the cancellation, the City will be saving more than $2.7 million dollars over the next 20 years.

According to Mike Levenson, City Manager,  the Honda Classic was brought in to place Coral Springs on the map and to kick start the Radisson resort hotel at Herron Bay.  4 years later, the city is almost built out and doesn’t require a higher profile event to ‘sell’ the city.

The Honda Classic was not the premier event in Golf as it was supposed to be.  It rarely attracted the top tier players who in the past passed over on the opportunity to play the Heron Bay Golf Course. Tiger Woods never liked to play here.

The first Coral Springs Honda Classic event was played in 1996 at the Eagle trace Country Club. It was moved to Heron Bay Golf Course the following year.

Not one of the city commissioners were upset with the decision. From their point of view (and mine too) :  Good Riddance!’

Comments:  editor@www.rfcj.com

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Email Received

Being a former employee of Coral Springs it was under my impression that the Honda Classic was moved from Eagle Trace to Heron Bay because of little interest in the layout at Eagle Trace.  Heron Bay was improved by adding a Hotel in order to attract the participants and the fans.  The City spent many dollars and man hours overseeing the construction of this project and now that the Honda Classic is moving to West Palm Beach the City Claims it will be saving 2.7 million in 10 years of which I do not understand their thinking.  What is going to make the Hotel and Golf Site attractive enough to generate revenue?  – F.E.

OK, you made your point. You obviously are not a golfer. But you don't

have to show your ignorance or stupidity with comments like Good

Riddance. Although the game has not become what it was supposed to be,

it did help Coral Springs, the community and to many golfers who do like

the game. I am sure that all of the city committee members are not

golfers either. I am sorry to see it go and I am sure that there are

many residence who feel the same way. Say what you will but keep the

smart remarks to yourself!!  -Richard B.

(Editor's note: Obviously he's seen the way I play golf!!)

I believe that someday the City will regret its SHORTSIGHTED MOTIVES. In the long run, the Tournament was not only the most exciting thing to Hit Coral Springs, but I also believe it would have been the most lucrative, if given the Chance. As for the lower tier players the Worlds #2 Phil Mikelson, #7 David Toms, and #8 Vijay Singh are not considered lower tier players. You & the Mayor need to Think next time before you SPEAK.  Bob Fado.

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Author: HelpMeHoward