COTTAGE GROVE FIRE DEPARTMENT WORKING WITH STATE FIRE MARSHAL ON INVESTIGATION

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The fire early Sunday morning that destroyed the club house and pro shop structures at the former Mississippi Dunes Golf Course are being investigated as arson.

Cottage Grove Director of Public Safety Pete Koerner said Monday morning that police received a call that there was black smoke in the area of Mississippi Dunes at 6:42 a.m.

“Our officers got a report of black smoke forming from the area of Mississippi Dunes but it wasn’t real specific,” he said. “They started checking the property, heading that way. They deployed the drone too, not knowing exactly where the fire was. Pretty soon, they discovered the former clubhouse and pro shop on fire.”

He said the fire was well-involved by the time the Cottage Grove Fire Department arrived on the scene.

“It was fully engulfed. It had been on fire for a little bit before anyone noticed. When we got there, the structure was already half gone. The roof was starting to collapse. At that point, they were trying to keep it from spreading. They did a good job. The building is a total loss,” said Koerner.

Cottage Grove was assisted by several neighboring departments, and firefighters were on the scene much of the day.

“They were there for hours. They had to make sure the hot spots were out. With the extreme drought, we did not want that spreading,” said Koerner.

He said the Cottage Grove Fire Department is investigating the blaze with the See DUNES, Page 2 DUNES

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help of the State Fire Marshal’s office. “Obviously, we’re leaning toward arson right now,” said Koerner.

Mississippi Dunes Golf Course has been closed for several years, and the property is a target for redevelopment. The parcel is owned by David Gustafson, who operates Dunes, LLC. Property taxes for the parcel go to the Law Offices of Richard Schultz in St. Paul.

Attempts to reach Gustafson for comment were unsuccessful.

The estimated market value of the parcel this year according to Washington County tax records is $1,211,100. This year, its property tax bill dropped in half, as it was taxed as rural vacant land, rather than as a golf course. The total property tax bill was $14,692, compared to $27,828 in 2020.

It was reported in 2018 that the golf course on the banks of the Mississippi Drive closed. Its phone was disconnected. The property was reportedly listed for sale for $10 million as a potential housing development.

Cottage Grove Mayor Myron Bailey commented on Facebook: “Though the Mississippi Dunes Golf Course will become something different in the future…it is always sad to see a building that was a fun and happy place for so many people, burn to the ground. Investigators will try and figure out how it started. Thank you to our Cottage Grove Firefighters and all those firefighters from our surrounding communities that helped extinguish the fire and to make sure it did not spread to the woods and grassy areas all around the former clubhouse. It will be monitored for the next few days to make sure it doesn’t start back up or spread.”

The building was fully engulfed by the time the fire was reported and the Cottage Grove Police Department tracked down the source of black smoke in the Mississippi Dunes area. Photo from Cottage Grove Public Safety.

Two photos of the aftermath of the fire that destroyed the clubhouse and pro shop structure at the former Mississippi Dunes Golf Course. Photos from Cottage Grove Mayor Myron Bailey’s Facebook page.