UPDATE: The Penn State Board of Trustees voted Friday afternoon to sell the Wilkes-Barre campus to a developer who wants to expand an adjacent golf club, create an event center and offer academic buildings to a local university.
HGC Development, LLC, a subsidiary of the adjacent Huntsville Golf Club, offered to buy the 57 acres in Lehman Twp. for $5.25 million.
All trustees voted for the sale, except for three who abstained and one who was absent.
The trustees also approved selling the Shenango campus in Mercer County to a developer.
A developer wants to turn the Penn State Wilkes-Barre campus into part of its golf club and create an event and conference center. The buyer may also lease the campus' academic space to Misericordia University for graduate studies, workforce development and other learning opportunities.
HGC Development, LLC has proposed buying the approximately 57 acres in Lehman Twp. for $5.25 million. The company is a subsidiary of the adjacent Huntsville Golf Club.
The Penn State Board of Trustees finance committee met Thursday morning and discussed the proposed sale of the campus, which trustees voted to close after the spring 2027 semester. The committee approved the resolution, which sends it to a full board vote scheduled for Friday afternoon.
Though the property is valued at more than the offer, trustees said the university will save on utilities and deferred maintenance. Trustees said they were pleased the property would not sit vacant.
Area business leaders Jeff Metz, John D. McCarthy and Doug Barbacci came together recently to form HGC Development. The site could also host community programming, fitness and performance training and opportunities for hospitality and event management.
"We see this as an opportunity to preserve something important to Northeastern Pennsylvania and maintain the current nature of the property while offering new opportunities for an exciting future," Angelo C. Terrana, attorney and spokesperson for HGC, said in a statement.
The possible sale of the property drew criticism and questions earlier this week, as area leaders said they had not been told about the potential buyer.
Partnership with Misericordia
University officials emphasized that discussions regarding final agreements, implementation plans and specific academic uses remain ongoing.
"This opportunity reflects the kind of innovative partnership that can benefit students, employers, communities and the regional economy," Misericordia President Daniel J. Myers said in a statement. "We believe the continued educational use of this campus represents a positive outcome for Northeastern Pennsylvania and aligns closely with Misericordia University's mission and strategic priorities."
Misericordia recently welcomed the largest incoming class in its history.
Under the agreement being explored between HGC and Misericordia, the school would lease all of the academic space on the campus, which is slightly less than 50% of the campus' total square footage.
"Our focus for that site is to identify stand-alone programs that would prosper at that location," Myers said. "Any future activity there would complement and strengthen operations on our main campus and be designed around convenience and opportunity for students, faculty and staff."
Another sale
The finance committee also recommended the sale of the school's Shenango campus.
JCL Development LLC plans to repurpose the nearly 13-acre, 12-building campus in Mercer County as a hub for education, workforce training, economic development and cultural enrichment.
The agreements to sell closing campus properties are the first to be presented to the board since the university announced in May 2025 that it would close seven campuses at the conclusion of the 2026-27 academic year.
"Penn State has worked, throughout this process, to strike a responsible balance between stewarding the university's resources and honoring our commitment to each campus community, including Shenango and Wilkes-Barre," Renata Engel, vice president for Commonwealth Campuses and executive chancellor, said in a statement. "Both proposals outline a vision for preserving the community-facing qualities of these properties while building on the educational impact the campuses have had for decades, and that's an outcome we're pleased to see reflected in each plan."
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