Rose Bowl Operating Company Set to Consider Major Golf Course Improvement Project Tuesday

The Rose Bowl Operating Company (RBOC) is set to hold an in-person-only session on Tuesday continuing and voting on the proposed Brookside Golf Course Improvements Project.

The session starts at 5 p.m. in the East Locker Room of the historic Rose Bowl Stadium.

The General Manager of the Rose Bowl, Jens Weiden, outlined plans for the Brookside Golf Course’s “Family Golf” Project in a report included in Tuesday’s agenda.

He said in the report that the improvements were born out of extensive consultation with a range of stakeholders, including golfers, tenants, neighbors, the Board, and the City Council.

The Project includes expanding the existing driving range from 20 to 60 hitting bays and introducing a family-friendly miniature golf course near the Brookside Clubhouse.

Weiden said the proposed layout was developed with input from the Bowl’s Music Festival partner and ensures no adverse impacts on the festival’s layout or economics.

Some community members are concerned about the project.

David Coher, who is a Pasadena Planning Commissioner, said in his personal opinion the RBOC vote is improper and that City Council should make the call as to whether the project should proceed.

“The City Council should decide if we will spend over $10 million on an unfinished concept plan for a multi-story driving range and two miniature golf courses in the center of Pasadena’s otherwise beautiful Arroyo,” Coher said.

Coher also said the layout for the Project would ruin the money-generating music festivals the Rose Bowl has worked hard to get.

“Unfortunately, the current proposal would occupy most of the festival grounds — essentially killing this business,” Coher said.

Brookside currently hosts up to 10 music festivals a year. Combined, these festivals bring in a minimum of $3 million a year for five years, comprising over 47% of the revenues for golf operations, he said.

At Tuesday’s meeting the RBOC Board of Directors are scheduled to consider the adoption of the Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for the golf course improvement project. Following this, the Board may direct staff to file a Notice of Determination within five days.

The Board is also set to discuss instructing Rose Bowl Chief Executive Officer / General Manager Jens Weiden to ask for financial assistance of up to $1,000,000 from the City Council for the Project.

These funds would be directed toward actions advancing the project, potentially including additional design and engineering drawings, retention of architectural and financial consultants, and grant writing expenses.

The Board will also consider authorizing the Chief Executive Officer / General Manager Weiden to apply to the City for a conditional use permit and design review for the Project. 

The Board will consider directing the Chief Executive Officer / General Manager to include a Family Golf concept option in the upcoming Request for Proposal (RFP) regarding golf course management.

Steve Haderlein, President of the Rose Bowl Operating Company, will preside over the meeting. 

The agenda for the meeting may be seen online by clicking here.