SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — ​Following many years lying in disrepair, the City of Sanford has decided to tear down the Mayfair Country Club clubhouse.  

As Eric Sanborn tees off at the country club's golf course, in the background a backhoe demolishes a portion of the building.   

“It’s been a long time coming. It’s well deserved,” he said. 

It’s the first sign of progress at the city-owned course where the dilapidated Mayfair clubhouse has been in disrepair for many years.   

“The best option that we had was for tear down and rebuild,” said country club manager Pete Sands. 

Sands said after talking to historians and a host of others, they made the decision to start from scratch with a new clubhouse. 

“One building is going to have a full-service restaurant, your pro shop, event space — the whole nine yards will be one building,” said Sands. 

Sanford leaders said the preliminary cost estimate is $2.8 million.

The city has been selling surplus properties to fund the project, and so far officials have been able to raise approximately $1.1 million.  

City leaders hope the investment will bring more golfers to Sanford. 

“To bring in those players that play every week and want to do tournaments here, want to have events here,” said Sanford Commissioner Patrick Austin.

Sanborn is from Winter Springs and has been playing the course for around five years. 

With the course improvements, and now a new clubhouse, he expects more golfers will make the drive to play the historic course.  

“The enthusiasm that the city’s showing is going to generate a lot of enthusiasm throughout the state of Florida,” said Sanborn. 

The goal is to have the new clubhouse finished by 2022, which would be the 100-year anniversary of the Mayfair Country Club.​