Big Money Expected With White Pines Sale: Official

BENSENVILLE, IL – The sale of nearly half of the White Pines Golf Club could bring as much as $100 million for the Bensenville Park District, the district says.

The golf club, which contains two 18-hole courses, is a few blocks north of Elmhurst.

In February, the district's executive director, Joe Vallez, told the park board that the money could be used to improve the existing course and build a new local pool, among other uses, according to meeting minutes.

The $100 million would be a game changer for such a small district.

In the last budget year, the district's income was $7.1 million, according to its annual financial report. A total of $100 million would be the equivalent of 14 years of income.

The golf course's income increased to $3.5 million in 2021, from $2.4 million two years before. That increase was because of the pandemic, when people had few other things to do, Vallez told Patch last month. Previously, he said, the club had been losing money for years.

In October, the park board voted to approve spending $130,000 for two surveys of the golf club property.

The minutes from the October meeting do not indicate why the park district was undertaking the studies. Some residents say the park board has been keeping their plan to sell a portion of the golf course relatively quiet.

Some neighbors fear the sale of nearly half the golf course would result in an industrial use that could lead to more traffic, noise and flooding.

A Change.org petition against the golf club sale has collected nearly 450 signatures.

Ordinarily, a park district could not sell a big chunk of land. But at the park district's urging, the state Legislature last year voted to let the park board approve the sale of up to 125 acres of the golf club.

The park board is planning two public hearings on the issue in May. A decision could be made in June.