Peoria Ridge to close May 31 unless buyer steps forward

By Ken MacLeod

The Peoria Tribe announced it would be closing the Peoria Ridge Golf Course effective May 31.

Peoria Ridge is close to Miami and one of the few public courses serving that area of the state. A Bland Pittman design, it opened in 1999. Milton Hale has been the superintendent and sometime general manager since grow-in.

A deal to sell the course, equipment and an additional 57 acres for real estate development for $2.3 million fell apart in March. However the Peoria Tribe would still entertain a buyer if one steps forward and there are rumors that may occur.

In a letter last Wednesday to course members and others from Peoria Chief Rosanna Dobbs, she expressed her regret but said finances demanded the closure.

The letter read in part:

“As many of you have already heard, the Peoria Tribe has made the very difficult decision to close Peoria Ridge Golf Course at the end of May 2026. This decision comes after years of discussion, evaluation, and sincere effort to find a sustainable solution.

We know Peoria Ridge holds memories for many in our community, and we do not take that lightly. This was not a decision any of us wanted to make. At the same time, we are a sovereign Tribal nation, and our responsibility first and foremost is to the well-being of and services to our citizens.

There has been a great deal of misinformation circulating, and without addressing the wildly incorrect speculations and rumors, I want to provide clarity. The golf course has been listed with a realtor for nearly a year. We did receive and accept an offer; however, it fell through for reasons outside of our control. We also explored outside management options, but none were financially viable.

With rising costs, the losses have grown significantly. For many years, the Tribe carried these losses for the benefit of our community. With today’s economic pressures and the financial condition inherited by this administration, continuing to subsidize the course would mean sacrificing essential services for our citizens, something we cannot and will not do.

We do not yet have final plans for the property. Our immediate focus is to simply stop the ongoing financial loss.”

Peoria Ridge is a member of the Oklahoma Golf Trail. Hale estimates it is currently averaging between 25,000 to 30,000 rounds annually.