ABSTRACT Since the year 2000, the number of golfers in the United States has steadily declined (National Golf Foundations, 2013). Coupled with an oversupply of golf courses and a sluggish real estate market, this drop has contributed to a cessation in domestic golf course development. This same failed model that incorporates golf courses as amenities to sell real estate is being reproduced in developing countries searching for an economic panacea. Golf courses are being developed in emerging nations for the primary purpose of financial reward, with minimal regard for environmental or social sustainability (Wheeler & Nauright, 2006). The public is often led to believe that golf course development will create employment opportunities for the community, bring boundless fiscal returns in the form of tax revenues and increased tourism, and attract additional small businesses to the region (Lim & Patterson, 2008). During my visits to Panama, I saw the beginnings of this unsustainable practice of golf course development being touted as an economic cure-all, all possible because of President Martinelli's free-market policies encouraging foreign development through free-trade agreements, relocation tax incentives, and limited restrictions on foreign capital. Panama is an emerging country. Under current President Martinelli's tenure, Panama's poverty rate dropped from 33% to 26%, its unemployment rate declined from 12% to 4.4%, its literacy rate is 95%, while its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) index to debt ratio is 39.2% (Central Intelligence Agency, 2013). The country is currently expanding the Panama Canal (more than doubling its earning capacity), building a metro system in the capital city, and constructing an airport in the country's interior to provide tourists with convenient access to the new beachfront golf resorts and housing projects developed over the past ten years. The Club de Panama hosts the Buy.com Tour's first golf event of the season, positioning Panama as the golf xiv mecca of Central America. The political environment is primed for golf course development in Panama, foreign investors are being incentivized to relocate, and American golf companies have already established their presence. As I examined the economic, environmental, and social sustainability of golf course development in Panama and its effects on key stakeholders, the information I gathered via ethnography strongly points towards the Panamanian government's neo-liberal initiatives as a significant contributor to the growth of golf course development. Additionally, the results of the study lead me to the conclusion that stakeholders affected by golf course development do not benefit or suffer equally, as suggested by Orridge (1981) and Marsden (1995). The current U.S. model of utilizing golf courses as an amenity to sell real estate is not sustainable; in fact, none of the ownership models discussed in the literature are in themselves sufficient to ensure equal benefit to all primary stakeholders. In summary, golf continues to be a sport synonymous with capitalist societies; however, without the introduction of a more balanced alternative to golf course development and operations, many key stakeholders in Panama may be at risk should these facilities fail to provide their investors an adequate profit. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Sport Management in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2014. / June 17, 2014. / Golf, Panama, Political Economy, Sustainability / Includes bibliographical references. / Michael D. Giardina, Professor Directing Dissertation; Gerald R. Ferris, University Representative; Jeffrey D. James, Committee Member; Joshua I. Newman, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_253613 |
| Contributors | Farr, Donald G. (authoraut), Giardina, Michael D. (professor directing dissertation), Ferris, Gerald R. (university representative), James, Jeffrey D. (committee member), Newman, Joshua I. (committee member), Department of Sport Management (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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