UT finds new space for golfers

The University of Tennessee looks to fall 2008 as the likely opening date for a new golf practice facility for its teams at Cherokee Farm off Alcoa Highway.

The city of Knoxville and Knox County also are designing a greenway that will skirt the edge of Cherokee Farm, along Fort Loudoun Lake and the golf practice facility. It will connect to a pedestrian walkway being built alongside the J.E. "Buck" Karnes Bridge on Alcoa Highway.

The golf practice facility will cover about 41 acres on the south end of the Cherokee Farm campus, the current site of UT's dairy farm.

"We would hope to release it for bidding toward the end of February, March," said George Criss, director of planning for UT.

Mike Hamilton, UT athletics director, said the first phase of work includes a three-hole facility with target greens designed by Greg Norman Group. It will cost about $3.8 million.

There are no plans for lighting and late-night activity, a concern of residents living across Fort Loudoun Lake in Seqouyah Hills. Cherokee Farm is the future site of a research and technology-oriented campus now being discussed by UT officials.

UT's golf teams currently practice at Lakeshore Park, Hamilton said. They're planning to move because of an agreement with Knox Youth Sports to vacate the property in five years so that it can be developed for public use.

The new facility will be used by UT's nationally ranked teams. Golfweek magazine recently ranked the men's team No. 10 in the nation and the woman's team at No. 13.

Because some of the land, about seven acres, belonged to the county, the public will get to use the golf practice facility part of the time.

Hamilton said the course's design also takes into consideration "archaeological findings" on the site. A UT archaeology report recommended three years ago that the university work around the site of a 16th century American Indian village.

Knoxville Parks and Recreation Director John Walsh said the city and county applied for the greenways grant three years ago and that the first phase is under design now. That phase will be a mile long and run from the J.E. "Buck" Karnes Bridge to the park at the U.S. Naval and Marine Reserve Center on Alcoa Highway.

The second phase would go from there to the Knox-Blount county line. Total cost for both phases of the greenway project is $2.6 million. Officials call it the KnoxBlount Greenway, as it will one day connect Knox County's greenways to those in Blount.

Walsh said the city is getting permits now for the first phase of the project and completing the archaeological assessment for the greenway. He expects that it will be bid in spring as well.

Darren Dunlap may be reached at 865-342-6334.