AUSTIN, Texas. — For Austinite and Peter Pan Mini-Golf co-owner, Margaret Dismukes Massad, there’s only one true Never Never land in the Capital City. 

 “We never grow up and that’s what we love. We’re keeping it weird and we never grow up,” Dismukes Massad said. “Everyone has a story. We’ve hosted everything from weddings, to proposals and first dates,” Dismukes Massad said. “We have people come back 20 years later with side-by-side photos of their kids.”

This year marks the 75th anniversary for the Austin staple, a family-owned institution since 1948. While ownership has kept cost, concessions and décor consistent to maintain the memories for future generations, Austin’s growth continues to challenge legacy businesses like this.

“We’ve had a great relationship with the owners of this land and we have every intention of renewing our lease,” Dismukes Massad said.

However, some putts are easier than others. This highly valued property near downtown sits on a trust previously overseen by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) with the proceeds going to benefit orphans across the state.

In a statement to Spectrum News 1 Texas, the TJJD says a new trustee will be appointed by the attorney general’s office and that it will be up to that person or persons to determine the future of the property when the lease runs out in March 2024.

Lindsey Derrington, executive director of the nonprofit group Preservation Austin, says that in the next 5-10 years, the city could lose several key longstanding businesses if citizens don’t support these staples and ask policymakers to do the same.

“This a pressing issue facing Austin today,” Derrington said. “We need to fight for the places we love and make sure as we grow, they’re part of our future. It should be something we can figure out.”

Waiting for the pixie dust to settle, Dismukes Massad and her husband, Julio, await word on a new trustee. In the meantime, they’re spreading a fan-created petition and investigating local and state level historical designations as well.

“We have every intention of continuing on. We’ll see you in another 75 years and hopefully we’ll still be here,” Dismukes Massad said.