USF Seeking Options for its Shuttered Golf Course

The Claw was becoming a drag on The University of South Florida. The school’s own golf course was costing the school over $200,000 a year. Now, USF is seeking proposals from real estate developers to transform The Claw, now closed, into a mixed-use district. The Tampa Business Journal reports the school wants to create a mixed-use, walkable environment with entertainment and dining.

Responses are due July 24. University officials said late 2025 is the earliest construction might begin. The project requires Tampa City Council’s approval of a land-use amendment, and a hearing on the matter will be held later this summer.

Although The Claw has been decommissioned for public play, the site’s northwest section still houses a complex for the men’s and women’s golf teams consisting of practice facilities, locker rooms and study areas. Developers are invited to propose a redo of the training complex, including its potential relocation.

As university-owned land, the project must follow Florida’s public-private partnership requirements.