Montebello city officials this week celebrated the more than $75 million renovation of the Montebello Golf Course, which as of Friday, May 3, included an adjacent, new Topgolf driving range and entertainment facility.
The revamped 118-acre golf course, which the city has owned since 1941, replaced the previous 18-hole course with a regulation-length, tree-lined nine-hole course that includes a putting green area, and added a new clubhouse opening in the summer, with a temporary clubhouse available until then.
The renovation, which officials christened on Monday, April 29, also added a new par 3 course offering six holes of golfing during the day, with an additional three holes lit up at night. And next door, on the northern end of the property off North Garfield Avenue near the 60 freeway, a new three-level, 68,000 square-foot Topgolf driving range facility will feature 102-climate controlled outdoor hitting bays.
The new Topgolf facility and golf course, rebranding as Bella Verde Golf Club and part of the Bella Verde Resort and Golf Club property, opened to the public Friday, May 3.
“The City of Montebello is opening gateways to the community, recreation, and shared experiences with this facility’s opening,” Montebello Mayor Scarlet Peralta said in a statement. “Topgolf not only enhances Montebello’s entertainment options but also underscores our dedication to fostering economic growth and providing top-notch recreational experiences for residents and visitors alike.”
The renovation comes on the heels of years of financial strain for the golf course, which lost more than $5 million in the 2010s under previous management, leading the city to subsidize the course to the tune of roughly $8 million in the same period.
The issues were highlighted in a 2018 report from the California State Auditor’s Office, which labeled Montebello as a high-risk city due to significant financial and operational risks, in part due to the expenses associated with the golf course. Along with addressing other major financial risks — such as operating its own water utility and two hotels — the report recommended exploring alternative uses for the golf course and to stop subsidizing it with other city funds.
The audit eventually sparked a change in course operators, with the city council in 2020 voting to replace 28-year manager Thomas Camacho with S&S La Barge Golf Inc., which is run by golf pro Steve La Barge and also manages the Rio Hondo Golf Club in Downey and the Pico Rivera Golf Course.
Hoping to revitalize the golf course and get operations back in the black, in 2022 the city approved issuing $16 million in bonds for the renovation project and another $60 million bond issuance to help Topgolf build the facility on the course property.
As part of that agreement, Topgolf will pay the annual debt service for the $60 million bond — which will average around $4.7 million per year — and pay rent on a 20-year lease at the site which will cover the cost of the $16 million bond’s debt service.
“We’re so thrilled to open this venue and thank the city for their partnership,” Topgolf Senior Vice President of Global Operations, Mike Mann said. “Having a green-grass course next to our off-course experience is a prime example of how the game of golf continues to grow and evolve, and bringing our own unique and accessible style of play to the sport is what we’re all about.”
