Ormond Beach's long-dormant River Bend Golf Course has drawn three competing redevelopment proposals and a petition signed by more than 3,000 residents demanding the course reopen, pushing city commissioners toward a decision on the 172-acre property's future. The course has sat vacant since 2020, and the site remains part of the city's airport property, meaning any sale or change in use must clear federal aviation hurdles before anything moves forward.
The reopening push and competing proposals have brought River Bend's future before the city, according to WKMG ClickOrlando. Arthur Armstrong, who lives near the course, told the station the property has been closed too long. Florida sees nearly 48 million golf rounds annually. The petition and developers' letters of intent have put the property's future before the city.
Three letters of intent have landed on the city's desk in recent weeks, according to the Observer Local News. Titan Development Partners, LLC offered $4 million to purchase the course and reopen it with a clubhouse, while PGA professional Gerry James submitted his own letter of intent on Sept. 14 proposing to buy the land and revive the course, though his offer did not include a stated price, per the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
A Third Bidder Wants Hangars, Not Fairways
The third offer takes a very different direction. GPS Civil Construction Inc., a Holly Hill contractor, proposed paying the city $5 million for the 172-acre course along with at least 28 surrounding acres, with plans to extend the adjacent airport business park and add more hangar facilities, the Observer Local News reports. That proposal would turn the former fairways into an aviation-focused commercial expansion rather than a return to golf.
FAA Sign-Off Looms Over Every Option
River Bend sits on airport land, and FAA correspondence has been part of the discussion. City commissioners have decided to hold a workshop in the near future to discuss the property's options, though several commissioners say they want to hear directly from the FAA before moving forward.
FAA correspondence has figured in discussions about the property. The Daytona Beach News-Journal attributes the course's 2020 closure to financial constraints tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. Separately, the News-Journal reports that a runway expansion once planned for the site fell through at the last minute after the course closed.
Residents Have Called for Reopening
Residents have called for River Bend to reopen.
Florida's broader golf market helps explain why investors keep circling the property. The state has more than 1,100 golf courses hosting nearly 48 million rounds annually, with 54% played by local residents, 14% by non-local Florida residents and 33% by out-of-state visitors, according to the Florida Sports Foundation. Residents, golfers and developers are watching as the city weighs River Bend's future.
