Watertown council approves lease negotiations for Thompson Park golf course

Watertown City Council has approved negotiations with Andrea Doane for a proposed lease of Thompson Park Golf Course, a move that could keep the city’s 18-hole course operating next spring. The council acted unanimously Monday night.

Doane submitted the only bid for the course, under the name Jefferson County Business Services Inc. The proposed lease would cover the course, equipment and carts from April 1 through Oct. 31, 2027, at $3,000 per month, or $21,000 for the season. The proposal also requests access beginning March 1, 2027, and would require the operator to obtain permits and licenses for the course and clubhouse.

The lease would require approval from the New York State Legislature because the course is located on city parkland. Negotiations will continue, and the city’s approval is conditional on the final lease terms, including whether prevailing city wages and benefits would apply.

Watertown bought the former Watertown Golf Club in 2023 for $3.4 million. The course has been the subject of community debate, including during recent city elections. The city’s 2023 purchase agreement also included a deed restriction limiting Ives Hill to nine holes as part of the Thompson Park deal.

The course is located in Thompson Park, which was donated to Watertown by industrialist John C. Thompson in 1916. It remains the city’s only 18-hole golf course. Doane owns Doane CPA on Mullin Street. Her proposal identifies her husband, John Lomber, as golf professional and course manager, and her daughter, Erica Doane Gonzalez, as clubhouse manager. The proposal also states that Doane, her late husband and father-in-law previously owned Rustic Golf Course in Pillar Point for 42 years.

The city’s sealed bid notice, identified as City RFP #2026-11, listed an Oct. 13 deadline for proposals. Updates on the negotiations and any required state approval are expected through the city’s council and legislative process.