On Friday, June 6^th, the City of Falcon Heights was notified of the University of Minnesota’s intent to pursue the sale of the Les Bolstad Golf Course property. The University's intent is to sell the entire property to one buyer through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process. As part of the drafting of the RFP, the City and University worked together to ensure expectations for development were conveyed appropriately to potential buyers.  

Since the announcement of the sale in June, City staff met with staff at the University of Minnesota, Ramsey County and neighboring cities to share information and collaborate. A Visioning Committee was formed, consisting of two City Council members and three Planning Commission members, to discuss guiding principles for the development. This was conveyed to the University to be included in their RFP, along with the Larpenteur and Snelling Corridor Development Study, which was adopted in 2024 and included a high-level look at redevelopment of the golf course should it ever be sold.

As of October 15, 2025, the RFP from the University for potential developers is live on their website. It can be accessed here: University of Minnesota - Request for Proposals for the Purchase of the University Golf Course. Everything is viewable to the public on the website. A login is only needed to respond to the RFP. 

Public Input Opportunities

• In 2023 and 2024, the City of Falcon Heights went through a community review process of Larpenteur and Snelling Avenues and created a Larpenteur & Snelling Corridor Development Study to look at potential redevelopment areas along the two corridors. As part of this, the north portion of the Les Bolstad Golf Course, minus the driving range, was looked at from a very high level. At the time, there was no intent on the University's part to sell the property. Public input during this process included a community session in October of 2023, a 25-question survey to residents, an online comment map, a focus group meeting in February of 2024, and a business session in March of 2024. All of these were open to the general public. 
• Community Open House - Tuesday, September 16, 2025, 7 PM - 8:30 PM - Falcon Heights City Hall
  • Notice of Community Open House and Potential Quorum
  • This survey is now closed. Unable to attend the open house? A survey has been set up to mirror the activities taking place at the Community Open House. Click here to share your feedback.

Keep an eye on this page, our weekly newsletter, and our social media pages on Nextdoor and Facebook for information on when future opportunities for public input will be taking place.

Current Status of the Project

As of October 15, 2025, the RFP from the University for potential developers is live on their website. It can be accessed here: University of Minnesota - Request for Proposals for the Purchase of the University Golf Course. Everything is viewable to the public on the website. A login is only needed to respond to the RFP. 

For more information, please visit the websites below: 

• University of Minnesota - Request for Proposals for the Purchase of the University Golf Course
• Goals and Guiding Principles for Les Bolstad Golf Course
• Les Bolstad Golf Course FAQ Page
• Larpenteur & Snelling Corridor Development Study
• Link to recording of the Joint Workshop between City Council, the Planning Commission, and University of Minnesota Representation on August 6, 2025
• Link to recording of the Joint Meeting between City Council and the Planning Commission approving the Guiding Principles on September 23, 2025

Frequently Asked Questions 

• Why is the University of Minnesota selling the property? According to the University of Minnesota Golf Course website, "This decision reflects careful consideration and was made in light of today’s challenging financial environment. As a public university, we have a responsibility to ensure that our land and resources are aligned with our core mission: supporting students, advancing research, and serving the state of Minnesota." For more information on this decision, please click here to visit the University of Minnesota Golf Course website.

• Which exact portions of the property are being sold? According to the University of Minnesota Golf Course website, "The approximately 141 acres of the golf course property on both the north and south sides of Larpenteur Avenue West are included in the sale. The property will be sold as-is and will include the existing structures on the site such as the original club house. The John W. Mooty Golf Facility and associated short game outdoor training area, used by the Men’s and Women’s Golf teams, as well as Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium, used by the Women’s Soccer team, are not included in the sale. The KUOM radio tower that serves the University’s Radio K station is located on land that is not part of the sale and will remain under the ownership of the University of Minnesota." For more information, please click here to visit the University of Minnesota Golf Course website. Additionally, maps have been included at the top and bottom of this webpage. 

• Can we stop the University of Minnesota from selling the land? Much like most residents of Falcon Heights own their land and home and are able to sell it at their discretion, the University of Minnesota owns the golf course land and controls the sale of it. 

• Will the City of Falcon Heights consider purchasing the property? The University of Minnesota did ask the City of Falcon Heights whether it wished to pursue purchasing the property. The price was, and still is, undetermined, but will undergo two appraisals for fair market value. Using similar property appraisals and recent sales of vacant land prices averaging $500,000 to $750,000 per acre in our region, it is unlikely that the property would be valued under $100,000 per acre ($14.1 million total), and is more likely to be valued at significantly more than that figure. The City’s legal debt limit is approximately $30 million, but has historically maintained under $2 million in outstanding debt. The City has not identified the purchase of the golf course property as a goal within our 2025 budget, nor our 2025 Goal Setting Report. As the City likely does not have the financial capacity to feasibly purchase the golf course, and it has not been identified as a goal of the City, the City Council voted on July 9, 2025 to formally confirm the intent to not pursue the purchase of the Les Bolstad Golf Course. 

• Will the new development include parkland as part of their design? The City of Falcon Heights' Subdivision Code requires 8%-10% of land (dependent on zoning) in a subdivision be dedicated as public parkland, a playground, open space, trail system, or other public recreational purpose. Alternatively, at the option of the city, a fee in lieu can be paid by the developer equal to the fair market value of the land that would otherwise be dedicated. The Larpenteur & Snelling Corridor Study recommended that closer to 18-22% of the land be used as open space, so there are additional opportunities for the future owner to dedicate space as public. 

• What happens once the golf course is sold? To address this question, the full process needs to be taken into consideration. Prior to the final closing of the sale, the University will issue an RFP (UPDATE - RFP has been issued as of October 15, 2025) to developers to respond with offers for purchase, including potential plans for the land. When the land changes hands from the University to a developer, it officially changes from Public Land zoning to R-1, Single Family zoning. Developers will likely not be able to meet City Code exactly as it is written for R-1 zoning, so they will need to come before the Planning Commission and City Council with their plans. City Council makes the final decision on changes to City Code. If plans are submitted that do not align with City goals, they will not be approved by City Council. To mitigate the potential of unworkable plans being submitted and the sale ultimately not closing, the City worked directly with the University to set out the guiding principles for the development. Many factors were addressed, including land use, housing density, open space, maintenance, utilities and infrastructure, and more. This can be accessed here: Goals and Guiding Principles for Les Bolstad Golf Course.

• What about Lauderdale and Roseville residents? Can we comment? Community meetings will be held throughout the process. These will be open to the public, and any interested parties may attend and comment. 

• Who do I contact with more questions? This webpage will be updated with all current public information as the City of Falcon Heights becomes aware of it. If you have questions about anything else, you are welcome to contact City Hall at 651.792.7600 or email mail@falconheights.org.