A money-saving move by city Parks and Recreation officials may sound the death knell for a profitable eatery situated on the Santa Barbara Municipal Golf Club.
Mulligans Café & Bar, which has been run by the Medina family for more than two decades, will likely become a casualty of the city’s move toward privatizing the upkeep of the golf course under a single management company, starting next year. That company would also oversee the onsite pro shop and restaurant. The three-pronged approach is designed to make the golf course and the related businesses a self-sustaining package not reliant on general fund subsidies, says Parks and Recreation, specifically citing that the number of golfers has been on steady decline since the 1990s.
But with closer inspection, the big picture looks less grim financially. “Both Mulligans and the pro shop are making money,” according to a written statement mailed out last week by Lani Medina. “The [cost of the city’s] maintenance crew is the sole reason for the financial difficulties.”