Response to former State Park Commissioners’ support of Westport Golf Links
The Daily World recently published a letter from former Washington State Parks Commissioners in support of the proposed Westport Golf Links project. While their perspective may carry the weight of past leadership, their general arguments do not hold up under scrutiny.
The proposed 200-acre golf resort — complete with a golf course, driving range, short course, restaurant, maintenance buildings and more — would occupy the entire shoreline perimeter acreage of Westport Light State Park. This isn’t compatible use — it’s a full-scale commercial conversion of a public park.
The commissioners describe this as an opportunity to “leverage private funding.” It’s also true that it’s a long-term lease of public land to a private enterprise. Leasing land is far more appealing to investors than buying it outright, especially when the land in question is prime coastal property held in public trust. But let’s be clear: private funding does not make this a public benefit. It turns a public park into a pay-to-play business venture.
As former commissioners, they should know that the State Parks’ Concession Program supports small-scale commercial activity — like food trucks or equipment rental — operating within parks. Nowhere does the program allow leasing hundreds of acres of a state park to a single commercial operator. Yet this proposal would effectively dominate the entire park, reducing any leftover natural space to mere scenic backgrounds for golfers.
While construction may provide temporary jobs, promised long-term economic impacts are unlikely to be as significant as forecast. Golf here is seasonal — typically May through September — which means it won’t provide year-round business support. The broad claims about economic wealth distract from the project’s actual scale and consequences.
Commissioners also suggest more people will visit nearby parks, bringing more revenue. However, State Parks’ own surveys show that 83% of users prefer hiking and natural areas. In another survey, only 7% supported public golf courses, while 74% prioritized natural spaces. These numbers speak clearly: most people seek access to nature — not manicured fairways and entry fees.
Surprisingly, past commissioners also claim the project will “restore” damaged land as some of the area was previously harmed by unpermitted development. But this proposal doesn’t restore — it redevelops, with pavement, structures and turf. True restoration focuses on native plants, habitat protection and wetland recovery.
Perhaps most troubling, the Draft Environmental Impact Statement essentially offered only two options: the golf course proposal or no action. A true alternative could provide planned invasive species removal, add low-impact trails, manage beach access safety and take actions to mitigate fire risk. This is a vision of public stewardship — not commercial development for profit.
Our current State Parks Commissioners must act now to stop this proposal. Uphold your mission. Honor your legal and ethical duty to protect public lands. Sustain Westport Light State Park as true stewards of the public trust.
Future generations are depending on your courage and leadership to preserve this irreplaceable coastal landscape — before it’s lost forever.
Meghan Anderson
Grayland
