Council set to decide on sale that would reshape Pete Dye course for housing
VIRGINIA BEACH — City officials will hold a second public hearing Tuesday evening before a City Council vote on a proposed sale of Virginia Beach National Golf Club to developer Dragas Cos., a transaction that would alter portions of the Pete Dye–designed layout to make room for residential development.
The proposal calls for reconfiguring some championship-caliber holes to add more than 650 homes priced for mixed incomes, a shift city leaders say responds to a tight local housing market identified in the city’s 2024 housing study. Supporters argue the additional inventory could help first-time and moderate-income buyers gain access to homeownership in Virginia Beach.
Public opposition, longtime players voice concern
Not all residents support converting the public golf course into a mixed-income subdivision. Regular player Robert Valentine, who tees off twice weekly, said the prospect of changing the course’s famed layout is difficult to accept.
“Hopefully, something stops it,”
Valentine said while standing near the 18th hole, watching ripples on the course’s lake. The course, which opened in 1999 off Princess Anne Road near Nimmo Parkway, has been a public fixture in the southern part of the city.
Council procedure, outstanding questions
The item returns to City Hall at 6 p.m. Tuesday for a second public hearing followed by a vote. Because the sale involves disposition of public land, the measure requires a super-majority — nine affirmative votes of City Council to pass.
Councilwoman Barbara Henley, whose district includes the golf course, has publicly stated she will not support the sale as proposed. She said the public was not asked whether it wanted the property sold and urged the council to pause and reconsider.
The council previously postponed a vote in July after a public notice published after an earlier hearing on July 7 contained an acreage error, prompting the additional review and the scheduling of another hearing.
Potential local consequences
- Housing supply: City officials emphasize the development could add hundreds of units targeted at mixed incomes amid a constrained local market.
- Recreation and heritage: Golfers and preservation-minded residents worry about permanent changes to the course’s championship features and the loss of public recreational land.
- Council politics: The requirement of nine votes gives each council member significant influence over the outcome, and a single dissenting member could sway deliberations if other votes shift.
Timeline at a glance
| Event | Date / detail |
|---|---|
| Course opens | 1999 |
| First public hearing | July 7 (followed by error in published acreage) |
| Postponed council vote | July (postponed due to notice error) |
| Second public hearing and council vote | 6 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall (requires nine votes) |
As the council prepares to take its final vote, the debate underscores competing priorities in Virginia Beach: the need for greater housing affordability and supply versus preserving public recreational resources that carry local history and community value. Council members will weigh those considerations alongside public testimony at Tuesday’s hearing.
The city and developer have framed the proposal as an opportunity to address local housing shortages, while opponents emphasize the cultural and recreational importance of a course designed by noted golf architect Pete Dye. With the outcome hinging on a super-majority, the decision will reflect how council members balance those competing interests and how residents’ voices influence the direction of a well-known municipal asset.
