Plans to transform Washington’s historic East Potomac Golf Links into a championship-standard venue have taken another step forward, with the National Park Service forecasting a construction contract worth up to US$49 million.
The figure appears in an advance procurement notice, with the formal solicitation expected on 31 January 2027. However, the US Department of the Interior says the amount should not be treated as the project’s final cost because the course design has yet to be completed.
Preparatory work is already under way. On 10 September, the National Park Service awarded Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc. a US$389,355 contract for design support connected with environmental and historic-preservation compliance.
US President Donald Trump toured East Potomac in June with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and golf architect Tom Fazio, later saying he wanted the property redeveloped into one of the world’s leading courses while remaining available to the public. Trump has said the finished layout should be capable of hosting events including the US Open, Ryder Cup and PGA Championship.
East Potomac occupies a distinctive site beside the Potomac River, with views towards several of Washington’s major landmarks. Its historic Blue Course follows the location of Walter Travis’s original layout, while the National Park Service has traditionally described East Potomac, Langston and Rock Creek as facilities providing affordable public golf in the US capital.
The redevelopment remains under political and legal scrutiny. House Natural Resources Committee ranking Democrat Jared Huffman raised the new contracts at a 16 September hearing, and he and four other Democratic lawmakers have requested documents covering the project’s design, funding and future management. A separate federal lawsuit brought by the DC Preservation League and two local golfers is challenging aspects of the proposed redevelopment.
For now, the US$49 million figure represents a projected construction contract ceiling rather than a confirmed final price. What the finished course will look like, how much it will ultimately cost and how public access will operate remain unresolved.
