Air Zoo disc golf course closed

The Air Zoo has closed its disc golf course, which opened in 2011.

(Courtesy of Timothy Vanegen)

KALAMAZOO, MI -- The Air Zoo has closed its disc golf course, citing disrespectful activities on the property.

The Air Zoo opened the beginner disc golf course in the spring of 2011 with the help of former disc golf professional and local course designer Larry LaBond. On July 9, the museum posted a notice on its disc golf course rules board saying the course was closed.

"Disc golf course is closed. Activities taking place on the course no longer follow the family friendly standards that the Air Zoo represents. We apologize to any patrons that respected our property and the rules of the course. Portage Police and Kalamazoo County Sheriff will be patrolling the property 24 hours a day. Anyone on the course will be considered trespassers," the sign said.

Another sign read, "No Trespassing. Violators will be prosecuted."

Air Zoo president and CEO Troy Thrash said the problems started on the course last spring when his staff experienced "behaviors that were not conducive to the family-friendly atmosphere," including lewd behavior and inappropriate language. This spring it worsened when he started receiving reports of "high questionable activities" in the evening. Thrash said the course became a party location, not a disc golf venue. He said he received calls from the Air Zoo's neighbors that also included complaints of people wading through retention ponds searching for discs, which Thrash thought was a safety issue as well.

Thrash became worried the inappropriate behavior from a few disc golfers could dissuade people from visiting the Air Zoo again.

"Is it shut down for good? I can't necessarily say that. I would love to find a way to reinvent it," Thrash said. But " ... some major changes need to be made."

Thrash said Air Zoo employees frequently cleaned the course of a "whole lot of garbage everywhere." Course maintenance, including mowing the grass, was paid for out of the Air Zoo's budget, he said. Thrash said the cost of maintaining the course is not a factor in closing it. He also said he has not seen evidence of the disc golf course driving traffic to the Air Zoo.

LaBond said the course became known as a late night hangout, especially for those under 21. He said the course was "extremely busy," but not enough was done to curtail the behavior of a few.

"It turned into an adolescent party spot," he said.

LaBond said he worked with the Air Zoo earlier this spring to clean up the course and stop some of the behavior, but once school ended, underage alcohol consumption returned. LaBond said he dedicated a lot of time to designing the course and wished the museum had communicated better with him before closing the course.

"They kept me in the dark. They didn't tell me a thing. I'm kind of bitter," he said.

LaBond said he had planned to use the course and the facility when Kalamazoo hosts the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) Amateur Disc Golf World Championships next July.

LaBond said he reclaimed the baskets and will be removing other items from the property soon.

He also said he offered several ideas to the Air Zoo on how to better utilize the course, including charging players and offering workshops and classes, but they didn't respond.

"They did not put a whole lot of effort into the disc golf course after it opened," he said.

Thrash said this afternoon he left a message for LaBond to discuss the course's future, but had not received a call back.

Tim Vanengan, 45, said he often played on the Air Zoo course with his sons, ages 17 and 25. Vanengan said he played there recently and the course had not been mowed and trash cans were full. He said he never saw any problems when he played there and wished it had stayed open.



"Because of a few bad apples, they ruined it for everybody," he said.

John Liberty covers entertainment for the Kalamazoo Gazette. Call him at 269-370-7372, email him at jlibert1@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter.