Anoka is putting $8.1 million into Green Haven Golf Course, the city's municipal course that first opened as a nine-hole layout in 1937 and expanded to 18 holes in 1958. The Anoka City Council approved three construction contracts on Monday, launching a phased renovation that runs into 2029. Green Haven averages about 40,000 rounds a year, so this touches a lot of Minnesota golfers.
What's Changing at Green Haven Golf Course
The renovation reworks the course layout and adds new irrigation, along with upgrades to tees, bunkers, and cart paths. New irrigation ponds and a pump station are also part of the plan.
The city will build two new holes on property it acquired. Once those are ready for play, existing holes 1 and 5 will close, and that land near the clubhouse becomes a 32-station driving range with a practice green, chipping area, bunker, and dedicated space for lessons.
Mid-America Golf and Landscape Inc. of Lee's Summit, Missouri, won the $5.5 million course renovation contract. The project's golf course architect noted the firm has also worked on Braemar Golf Course in Edina and Superior National at Lutsen. Ebert Cos. of Corcoran landed an $818,300 contract for the pump house and driving range building, and Dave Perkins Contracting Inc. of Nowthen will handle site grading for $457,781.
The Construction Timeline for Anoka Golfers
Site grading starts in October. Course work follows in 2027 and 2028, with the renovated 18 holes expected to open in 2028 and the driving range in 2029. The city has set a grand opening for the full project on Aug. 2, 2029.
The course stays open through much of construction, but there are two stretches to plan around. Play drops to nine holes after Labor Day 2027 and again when the course opens for the 2028 season. If you run a weekly league or book a standing tee time, those are the windows to watch.
How the City Is Paying for It
Anoka plans to finance the work with general obligation revenue bonds and repay them with golf course revenue. The city projects that a series of green fee increases over five years, combined with income from the new driving range, will cover the bond payments. The exact size of those increases hasn't been announced.
In plain terms, the plan leans on the people who use the course to generate the money that pays it back. That makes the driving range more than a nice extra. It's a revenue source the budget depends on, and its success will shape how steep those fee increases feel.
One bright spot: the $8.1 million budget landed about $700,000 below the city's $8.8 million estimate from August. Most of the savings came from bidding site grading separately, which let local contractors compete for the work.
Why Green Haven's Future Matters to the Community
Golf participation in Minnesota has ticked up nearly every year since 2020, according to the Minnesota Golf Association. City leaders say Green Haven's clientele skews older, and the range is designed to bring in younger golfers through lessons and practice space.
A well-run municipal course is one of those amenities that quietly shapes how a city feels to live in. It gives families an accessible place to learn the game and gives longtime players a reason to stay local. For more stories on how Twin Cities communities are investing in recreation, check out [INTERNAL LINK: Twin Cities community news blog category].
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