Park group aims to keep new golf course out of New Orleans City Park

A populist park group is asking a judge to stop another golf course from being built in New Orleans City Park.

According to a lawsuit filed March 26 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the City Park for Everyone Coalition and Kevin McDunn and Christopher Lane are petitioning for injunctive relief to keep the Federal Emergency Management Agency, its acting administrator, W. Craig Fugate, and the New Orleans City Park Improvement Association from building another golf course on park property.

"The New Orleans City Park Improvement Association is determined to dedicate over 40 percent of City Park to golf — something it admits is not particularly profitable in light of the large operating budget City Park has every year," the lawsuit states. "It is so intent on adding an additional golf course, that it may have distorted information and led FEMA to improper conclusions with respect to the appropriateness of building a golf course from an environmental standpoint. Multiple attempts have been made to create an open dialogue between concerned citizens and the association, but they have all been refused or otherwise failed."

The plaintiffs are represented by Galen M. Hair of Varadi, Hair and Checki LLC of New Orleans.

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, Case No. 2:15-CV-00918-SSV-KWR.