BADIN, N.C. -- The Badin Inn Golf Resort and Club used to be a popular place with a lot to offer, but since it closed in 2017 it's not only become an eyesore, neighbors say it's also become dangerous.

• Neighbors say wildlife has taken over the area
• Town officials say they can't intervene because it isn't a residence
• The owner is entertaining offers on the property

“I never in a million years thought the course would be this way,” neighbor Pat Leonard said.

She's says she worries about her grandkids going outside.

“There are fire ants out here by the gobs,” Leonard said. “I walked the course just to look at it and when I got home I got eat up by chigger bites.”

Leonard and neighbor Nancy Vasser say maintenance stopped shortly before the course closed in 2017. Putting greens quickly turned into fields of weeds.​

“The wildlife have overtaken it here. There are coyotes down here,” Vasser said.

Spectrum News reached out to the owner of the course, Dale Newport, to find out why the course wasn't being maintained but didn't hear back.

Spectrum News did here from the town manager who says Badin doesn't have much power to intervene because the course isn't a residence, so it's not subject to the same scrutiny for ordinance violations.

"Losing the country club we’ve all known and loved has been tough. It’s a lot like buying a house on the river then seeing it dry up,”  Badin Town Manager Jay Almond said in a statement. “It’s an unfortunate situation all around. No one wanted to see the property stop being a golf course but that’s what happened."

For Vasser that's not enough. She worries about being able to sell her home for the value it’s worth. It’s a fear neighbors say isn't just personal but will be felt by many.

“I don't know how they are going to revitalize Badin without this golf course and this country club,” Leonard said.

The town manager says the town did look at purchasing the club which was founded in 1924, but financially it didn't make sense. He does say the owner is entertaining offers on the property.