Fredericksburg hears of resort's water blues

The golf course at the Boot Ranch resort in Gillespie County could close if additional sources of water to irrigate it aren't found soon, a resort official told the Fredericksburg City Council this week.

Boot Ranch Development Manager Ken Ayers raised the prospect of shutting the course Monday while asking the city to resume selling it water.

The resort is still working to install pipes to deliver treated city wastewater for irrigation, Ayers said in a Feb. 27 letter seeking 15 million gallons a month to keep Boot Ranch’s links green. City officials said Ayers told the council that the resort’s reservoir on Palo Alto Creek has enough water to last about 45 more days.

Mayor Jeryl Hoover was unmoved, saying the 5.3-mile pipeline should have been finished by now. He wants the course to prosper, since selling treated wastewater means revenue for the city. But he doesn't favor reviving the city's fresh water sales contract to the resort, which expired in October after three years.

“They have demonstrated to me that unless their back is against the wall that they will not get the pipeline done,” Hoover said Tuesday.

Council members, seeming split on the issue, tabled it for more study.

Ayers blamed pipeline delays on the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, which is financing the luxury subdivision project led by golfer Hal Sutton.

Hoover said resort officials previously forecast a mid-2008 completion date for the pipeline, but reported Monday that it is only half done.

Some city officials said resort staffers appeared surprised by council members' reservations on selling more water.

“They said they didn't know what they would do if we didn't sell them the water, that they might have to shut down the golf course,” said City Manager Gary Neffendorf on Tuesday.

By Zeke MacCormack - Express-News