The city is moving to sell the former Lester Park Golf Course to private developers — without asking you. We're collecting signatures to force a city-wide referendum before it's too late.
What's happening
The Duluth City Council authorized the transfer of 267.5 acres of the former Lester Park Golf Course to the Duluth Economic Development Authority for $1 — with the intent to hand it to out-of-state developers for a private golf resort, housing (with no affordability promises), and a "Vail/Breckenridge-style" chalet hotel. No public vote was held. We believe that's wrong.
267.5 acres of public parkland on Duluth's east side, adjacent to Lester Park and Hawk Ridge. Once sold, it's gone forever.
Our petitions require the city to hold a public vote before any rezoning or sale. We need 7,200 signatures from registered Duluth voters by June 1.
Nearly two months of silence
On March 16, Bolton & Menk delivered the Round 1 Engagement Summary — the public-input findings from the City's nearly $200,000 Lester Park study, reflecting input from about 1,100 survey respondents. Nearly two months later, the City has issued no press release. No news outlet has covered the findings. The email subscribers who signed up at lpgcstudy.com to follow the study haven't heard a word. The report sits on the project website where you have to know to look for it.
Most survey respondents showed a clear preference for no housing on the Lester Park site, with opposition outweighing support across every residential type.
The site is viewed not as underutilized land, but as a frequently used neighborhood nature area that serves as an essential recreational and emotional resource for the community.
| Use | Opposed | Neutral | Supported |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-density apartments | 91.0% | 4.2% | 4.7% |
| Medium-scale apartments | 87.4% | 8.3% | 4.2% |
| Large-lot single-family homes | 84.7% | 10.0% | 5.2% |
| Small-scale apartments | 72.7% | 18.8% | 8.4% |
| Townhomes | 66.3% | 23.1% | 10.6% |
| Co-housing | 66.2% | 19.3% | 14.4% |
| Senior 55+ housing | 64.9% | 24.5% | 10.6% |
| Modest-lot single-family homes | 57.8% | 24.9% | 17.3% |
Only 10% of respondents want "a lot" of development on this site — 48% want minimal or none. The most-requested public uses were hiking trails (937 votes), cross-country ski trails (717), and biking trails (553).
17-page report by Bolton & Menk for the City of Duluth, finalized March 16, 2026. Posted by the City at lpgcstudy.com.
On April 22 — five weeks after the survey results landed — Mayor Reinert told the Duluth News Tribune that Lester remains one of three sites Duluth needs for large-scale housing. "We're going to need all three of those," he said. But the City's own $200,000 study found majority opposition to every housing type it tested. Only 10% of respondents want "a lot" of development on this site. The Mayor isn't listening to the answers his own study produced. Sign the petition. Let Duluth decide.
Sign in person
Petition sheets are available at six locations across Duluth. You must be a registered Duluth voter to sign.
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