Bristol officials have agreed to pay $4.75 million for the Chippanee Country Club, a deal that would turn the private 18-hole golf course into a public amenity while taking roughly 140 acres that had attracted housing developers off the market.
During a Sept. 22 meeting, Bristol’s City Council unanimously authorized Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu to move ahead with the purchase of the golf course, function hall and other buildings near the Plymouth town line. The deal, expected to close Nov. 1, also includes the club’s furnishings, fixtures, equipment and machinery used to maintain the grounds.
The agreement follows an effort to market most of the property as a housing-development opportunity.
Late last year, a 133-acre portion of the property was listed for $5 million, while the remaining land and a 14,021-square-foot dining and function hall were to be offered separately.
David Theroux, of Middlebury-based David Theroux Commercial Real Estate Services, said he had spoken with golf course operators about a potential off-market sale two years ago. After those efforts failed to produce an agreement, he had the property’s development potential studied. An engineering firm analysis showed the 133-acre portion of the property could accommodate up to 140 housing units in various configurations, including multifamily development, he said.
The offering drew robust interest from developers, Theroux said, before Zoppo-Sassu approached him and discussions with the city began.
“A good deal is when the buyers and sellers are both happy,” Theroux said. “And this is one of those.”
The pending acquisition has stirred debate in Bristol, where some residents have questioned adding another expense to the city budget, while others have focused on the benefits of opening the golf course to the public or preventing large-scale housing development of the property.
The club is owned by a limited liability company headed by prominent Waterbury-area businessman Frederick W. “Fritz” Blasius Jr., owner of Waterbury-headquartered Loehmann-Blasius Chevrolet. Blasius paid $1.27 million in 2015 for three adjoining properties comprising the club and its grounds.
The city’s financial commitment is also expected to extend beyond the $4.75 million purchase price.
Zoppo-Sassu said she plans to ask the city’s Finance Committee to allocate $500,000 from previous budget surpluses to help convert the private club into a public-facing golf course and cover initial operating expenses.
Additional funding requests could follow for repairs to utility buildings on the property, she said.
Zoppo-Sassu said the city plans to hire a consultant to help organize the transition and will likely bring in a contractor to manage the facility. She also intends to create a resident advisory committee and encouraged both supporters and opponents of the acquisition to participate.
The mayor said the city’s review of the club’s operations and finances has left her confident the golf course can ultimately operate without becoming a drain on taxpayers.
Council member Susan Tyler said she had wrestled with concerns about the cost before concluding that the acquisition would provide a net benefit, including another amenity that could help Bristol attract residents and businesses.
“It’s a very positive economic development and community factor for Bristol,” Tyler said.
