Brown defends decision on golf course operator

Diana Sahagun

Friday, Oct. 5, 2001 | 9:57 a.m.

Las Vegas Councilman Larry Brown says the two companies vying for a contract to operate a golf course in his northwest district are equally qualified but explained his vote for a company headed by high-roller Billy Walters by saying Walters has more local experience.

While the two companies may be equally qualified, city documents show only one of the two responded to bids with detailed plans for running the city-owned course.

That company, Dallas-based Evergreen Alliance Golf Limited, was rejected Wednesday as the City Council decided unanimously to negotiate only with Walters, a high-rolling gambler and developer with deep roots in the community.

The council vote came despite a recommendation for Evergreen from a team of city staffers that had evaluated both bids.

City documents provided to council members in August show that Walters' proposal lacked pertinent information about management and costs.

The city sent out a request for proposals for interested golf course operators in June. Three companies responded.

The evaluation team, whose members represented four city departments -- Field Operations, Public Works, Leisure Services, Finance and Business Services -- and included the Boulder City golf course manager as well, met on July 13. It decided to drop one of the companies, Kemper Sports Management, because it had not provided several pieces of "critical information."

The team then concluded that Walters' proposal had more deficiencies than strengths. According to a team summary of evaluation factors, Walters' proposal had three strengths and 18 deficiencies.

By comparison, the Evergreen Alliance Golf Limited proposal had 24 strengths and seven deficiencies.

The team found that Walters' proposal did not include specific information that was required in the request for proposals. It did not have a safety plan, management plan, or details on policies or standards.

"Overall proposal reflects lack of attention to proposal requirements and reflects little effort," the team concluded in its evaluation.

Team members were split in their evaluation of the Walters proposal. Some members believed that the proposal was insufficient and that the Walters group should be removed from the competition, according to the documents. Others suggested Walters should be considered because of his successful local presence.

The team members were unanimous in their approval of the Evergreen Alliance Golf Limited proposal, which they considered to be "highly responsive to the request for proposal, to be full of definitive action plans, to be demonstrative of a real interest in working with the city..."

The Evergreen Alliance Golf Limited proposal was also $7 million less over 10 years, compared to Walters' proposal. Brown said the monetary factor had nothing to do with his vote because the final numbers will be drawn during the negotiation period.

He also said he was not given or briefed on the team evaluation documents that listed the number of strengths and deficiencies of both proposals.

"If someone had briefed me from staff and (Finance Director) Mark Vincent had said, 'This has two strengths and 18 deficiencies,' that's a different presentation that what was provided during my briefings," Brown said.

Brown said that in making the motion to approve Walters, he considered the companies' experience in the operation and management of golf courses.

"I thought those factors demonstrated that both groups could successfully do this contract," Brown said. "Some may have been stronger on some areas, some weaker ... but I think the bottom line was they could both do the job."

Brown said one of the determining factors was Walters' experience in operating golf courses in the community. Walters operates six golf courses in Clark County. While Evergreen Alliance Golf Limited has a contract with the city of Henderson, Brown said the company was just getting into the Las Vegas market.

"I think that's wonderful but that is a very important difference," Brown said. "One is a known commodity and the other is an unknown commodity with a great reputation."