Reimagine Meadow Park Project

What is Meadow Park Golf Course’s Reimagine Project?

The Meadow Park Golf Course Reimagine Project is part of a Strategic Design Plan for Meadow Park Golf Course including a preferred capital improvement proposal for development of a new golf entertainment facility, restaurant, clubhouse, a remodeled and lighted Williams 9 Executive course and a new 3-hole entry level developmental course.

What will the project cost?

The projected cost of the project is $47.9 million and would be invested over the course of several years.

Why is the district planning a capital investment project at Meadow Park Golf Course?

The project addresses aging infrastructure and the need to increase facility access to keep up with current and growing demand for golf. The project has been designed to advance three key components in the Strategic Design Plan for Meadow Park Golf Course:

• Maintain an affordable, playable and community-oriented golf course. Meadow Park must remain Tacoma’s place to learn, play and grow through the game of golf, and it must be affordable for all our community.
• Integrate First Tee of South Puget Sound and Tacoma’s youth into all aspects of facility design. Meadow Park must stay aligned with the agency’s strategic direction to serve all our community but pay special attention and focus on youth.
• Ensure fiscal sustainability for the long term by attracting new users and retaining existing customers. As an enterprise fund operation, Meadow Park must make all decisions and actions based on balancing fiscal solvency, market capitalization and community needs and desires.

Will tax dollars be used to pay for the project?

General fund dollars tax dollars are not allocated for the Reimagine project. All costs will be covered by golf revenues, donations and loans that are paid back using golf course income, not taxpayer dollars.

Meadow Park Golf Course is an enterprise fund. What is an enterprise fund?

Enterprise Funds do not use the general fund and are not taxpayer supported. They are used to account for operations that are financed and managed like private businesses, with the goal of covering the costs (including depreciation) of providing goods or services to the public primarily through user charges or are selected by the governing body to periodically assess revenues, expenses, and net income for purposes such as capital maintenance, public policy, management control, accountability, or other relevant reasons.

Who approves the project?

The project has gone through a rigorous series of in-depth studies (ranging from feasibility, costing, pro forma development, external business plan stress testing, etc). Through it all, the project has continued to prove worthy of investment and presents the District with an opportunity to fill a major community facility need where the costs of construction are borne by the facility’s customers and not the general District taxpayer (as is the case with traditional voter approved capital improvement bonds).

The Parks Tacoma Board has authority to approve the funding resolutions for the project. The operational decision to advance the project resides with the Parks Tacoma executive director.

How much does the golf course currently make annually?

Meadow Park Golf Course is anticipated to make approximately $5 million in gross golf course revenue with an additional approximate $2 million in revenue from food, beverage and other ancillary services in 2025.

What is the golf course’s operating budget?

Meadow Park Golf Course has an allocated $5 million budget including $1.5 million for capital investment and $3.5 million for operations.

How many people use the golf course?

This year, approximately 110,000 rounds of golf will be played at Meadow Parks Golf Course and 12 million golf balls will be hit at the driving range.

What is the timeline for the project to be completed?

The timeline for project completion as proposed is by the end of 2027. Parks Tacoma has included several opportunities, or “off-ramps”, to consider the project and its funding. At any of these pre-identified milestones, Parks Tacoma can opt to end or pause the project at no recourse to the agency.

Will the project have operational impacts?

Potentially, however we are proposing to use a Progressive Design Build Project Delivery Method to minimize operational impacts to customers during construction.

• Meadow Park Golf Course’s operating budget is $5 million. It anticipates making $5 million in revenue, plus another $2 million from food, beverage and other ancillary services.
• In 2025, there were 12 million golf balls hit at Meadow Park and 110,000 rounds of golf played.
• A partnership with First Tee of South Puget Sound serves 750 children annually.
• Meadow Park hosts eight high school golf teams, which played 1,852 rounds on the course in 2025.
• More than 250 days of youth programming were delivered in 2025.
• The 143-acre facility is the second oldest public course in Washington state.
• The first nine holes opened in November 1915 and had several owners before Parks Tacoma took it over in 1961.