As a solar energy site, the land will be taxed at a higher rate, which could generate up to $280,000 in new revenue for the community.
The Maplegate Country Club, an 18-hole public golf course in Franklin and Bellingham, Massachusetts, has been sold for nearly $25 million and will be converted into a solar field, according to a press release from the company that brokered the deal.
According to Wrentham-based American Commercial Real Estate, a private solar energy developer has acquired the 140-acre site for $24,837,920. While the buyer was not named in the release, the Worcester Business Journal identified it as San Francisco-based NextGrid Inc. The deal was completed on Dec. 30.
The new property owner plans to convert the golf course into a pair of 15-megawatt solar photovoltaic systems, which would make it one of the largest solar installations in the state, American Commercial Real Estate officials said in the release. The solar array will provide energy to 6,000 income-eligible households through various community programs, saving more than $30 million in energy costs throughout the life of the contracts, according to the release.
“This project represents a major investment in renewable energy across Massachusetts and reflects the growing role of private capital in supporting sustainable infrastructure,” said American Commercial Real Estate Vice President Joseph Evans, in a statement. “The transaction required careful navigation of permitting processes across Franklin and Bellingham, and extensive coordination with municipal boards and stakeholders throughout the region. Attempts to reach Evans for further comment were unsuccessful.
According to the release, the development will be a financial benefit to Franklin. The country club was taxed under Chapter 61B, which provides tax incentives for land used for recreational purposes. But as a solar energy site, it will be taxed at a higher rate, which could generate up to $280,000 in new tax revenue for Franklin.
Franklin Town Administrator Jamie Hellen said the sale will likely benefit both Franklin and Bellingham with additional tax revenue.
“It’s kind of a win-win as we move forward,” said Hellen. “For both Bellingham and Franklin, we will see some property tax revenue from it, and it’s going to supply energy for 6,000 low-income households. Any way we can help out families is good.”
Maplegate Country Club has been in operation since 1988
The country club has been open since 1988, owned and operated by the French family, Hellen said.
“I want to acknowledge the history of the French family and recognize the many decades that site was a golf course,” he said. “I know many golfers will be disappointed by it closing.”
Dusty Burke, president American Commercial Real Estate, said the new project shows how something like this can benefit a community in different ways.
“This sale marks an exciting new chapter for Franklin, both environmentally and economically,” Burke said in a statement. “It shows how large-scale solar projects can benefit municipalities in meaningful ways, creating a long-lasting impact for the local economy while contributing to our clean energy future.”
Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date news, follow him on X @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerJournalist.