$13,404,575.00

In November, 2002, Massillon City Council finalized a General Obligation Bond for the Legends of Massillon Golf Course. This included the cost for the nine hole expansion, and the remaining debt on the original 18 hole course. The debt stood at $7,281,232.65.

On December 16, 2002, about a week before Christmas, Massillon City Council, at the strong urging of Massillon's Mayor for Life, merged the golf course with the Parks and Recreation Department. Why? Because the Parks and Recreation Department had a revenue stream, the .3% income tax, to subsidize golf course debt. Massillon's Mayor for Life claimed the merger was to "streamline" City government, and was not a scheme to have the Parks Department cover the golf course's expenses. Of course, this ended up being a scheme to have the Parks Department cover expenses from the golf course.

This debt will not be paid off until 2032. The taxpayers will pay $6,123,342.35 on the interest alone, according to the bond repayment schedule. The total cost will be $13,404,575. The golf course may only be worth $3,500,000 on its best day. The scheduled bond payment for 2010 is almost $528,000. Over half a million dollars of golf course debt paid this year alone. If that money was used for maintenance and upkeep at our parks, they would indeed looks as nice as Parks Director Kenn Kaminski would have us believe they are. We would have decent parks, well maintained ball fields, and we wouln't have to charge our kids to use them.