AUSTIN, Texas - The City of Austin and the University of Texas at Austin are close to an agreement to preserve the Lions Municipal Golf Course, also known as Muny.
What they're saying:
The proposed deal will give ownership of Lions Municipal Golf Course to the city, which would preserve the open public green space and the historic public course.
The deal would also be part of amendments to the 1989 Brackenridge Development Agreement (BDA). The BDA is "an interlocal agreement between the City and the University that laid out terms for how the University may use the land it owns on either side of Lake Austin Boulevard for private development."
In addition to transferring ownership of Muny, these proposed amendments would describe the general process for:
- A proposed update to the University’s lease of property at Mueller,
- The exchange of City rights-of-way,
- The proposed creation of a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ), and
- The development of a mutually agreed regulating plan.
What is Muny?
The backstory:
The Lions Municipal Golf Course opened in 1924 on more than 140-acres of UT Austin-owned property along what is now Lady Bird Lake.
The City of Austin took over the lease for the golf course in 1937. They've also operated Muny ever since taking over the lease.
In 1950, Muny became the first public golf course in the south. It allowed people of color to play on the course. It was then listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a civil rights landmark.
What's next:
The City of Austin will brief the Environmental and Planning Commissions on the proposed deal.
It will happen at a meeting on Nov. 19.
Members of Austin City Council respond to the proposed deal
What they're saying:
"This is a great day for Austin," said Austin Mayor Kirk Watson. "Our community has been working for more than 50 years to save Muny. That work and our strong partnership with the University have paid off, and now we will be able to preserve this precious greenspace and a key part of not only Austin’s history, but the entire country’s."
"This is an exciting opportunity that has been long in the making," Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax said. "Development in this special area, along Lady Bird Lake, must be thoughtful and executed with the deepest care. The agreement will enable both the City and the University to guide development in a way that accomplishes each of our goals. I appreciate and value our partnership with UT that has allowed us to reach this important milestone."
The Source: Information from a City of Austin press release on Oct. 14