Sunset Hills will reopen the Sunset Hills Golf Course driving range as a city-run venue in 2019, but whether it will include a rugby field is yet to be seen.

The city will hold a special work session at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26 about plans for the course at City Hall, 3939 S. Lindbergh Blvd.

The city acquired the 122-acre Sunset Hills Golf Course, 1336 W. Watson Road, from former owner Steve Bander, a physician from Des Peres who announced in September that he would donate the golf course.

The city closed on the property on Nov. 29.

The last day the golf course was open was Nov. 15.

As part of the city’s acquisition of the golf course, Bander sold various equipment to the city at a reduced rate.

This equipment will be used to operate the driving range.

To purchase the equipment, the parks and stormwater fund in the 2018 city budget had to be increased by $19,200, said City Administrator Eric Sterman in a memorandum dated Dec. 4 to Mayor Pat Fribis and the Board of Aldermen.

The city is still deciding what to do with the rest of the property, part of which lies in a flood plain. Some ideas include turning part of it into a park, and the city also heard a proposal from the St. Louis Bombers Rugby Club to build a rugby facility on a portion of the site.

The city could hire an outside consultant to look into what to do with the property.