September 30, 2015 – Mike Keiser, the owner of the famed Bandon Dunes Resort, released a statement through KemperSports announcing his intention to terminate the proposed Bandon Links project in Southern Oregon.
Keiser cited the fees the Bureau of Land Management would force the course to charge and “disappointing” well testing results as reasons for shelving the project, which would have included a Gil Hanse-designed course that Coos and Curry residents could play for as a little as $10. Money collected from out-of-state tourists paying $200 to $250 per round would have funded college scholarships for area high school students working as caddies at the course. Keiser had been exploring the possibility of Bandon Links since 2008.
“This project had great promise for boosting the local economy and providing employment opportunities and job training,” Keiser said in the statement. “And, the golf experience would have rivaled that which is present at Bandon Dunes Resort 15 miles to the north. So it is with great regret that I make this announcement.
Keiser will seek an alternative site for the same programs, according to the statement. Keiser added that the termination will not impact nearby Bandon Dunes, the five-course resort that opened in 1999.
“My family and I continue to be devoted to the Oregon south coast area as we remain involved in projects which promote conservation, the local community, and the local economy by blending recreational and educational opportunities with ecological initiatives,” Keiser said.
