Manheim Township Is Looking for One Operator to Run Both of Overlook's Restaurants

Overlook Park has two places to eat, and the township owns both. The Sand Trap sits beside the pro shop at Overlook Golf Course, 2040 Lititz Pike. Stoner Grille is on the lower level of an old barn at 605 Granite Run Drive, under The Barn banquet hall and next to Pelvo's Putt Putt. For about a decade they have run as separate operations. The Sand Trap has been under the township, and Stoner Grille has been run by the Pelland family as part of Stoner Commons.

On October 13, 2026, Manheim Township posted a request for proposals for one food service operator to run both. The winner would get the exclusive right to supply "all personnel, supplies and management" for the Sand Trap and for the 605 Granite Run Drive restaurant and banquet facility, which the township describes as "currently known as Stoner Grille."

If you play Overlook, walk the park loop, or book The Barn for a party, this matters to you. It would bring back the arrangement Overlook had until 2015, when it ended badly.

The Last Time One Company Ran Both

The two-operator setup you know today grew out of a breakup. Here is how Overlook's food service got to this point, based on LNP's reporting:

1. 2006: Keares Overlook Inc. began running all three food operations at Overlook. That covered the Sand Trap snack bar by the golf shop, Barny's Grill on the barn's lower level, and the Barn at Overlook banquet space upstairs.
2. The terms: Keares's contract called for $4,000 a month plus 5% of adjusted gross sales. From 2013 through March 2015, the township charged 21 separate $150 late-payment penalties.
3. December 2014: Barny's Grill closed.
4. 2015: The township and Keares ended the joint venture after Keares fell behind on rent. Keares turned over its assets in exchange for a release of liens. LNP reported at the time that the township would step in as temporary operator of the Sand Trap, Barny's and the Barn while it looked for new vendors.
5. Stoner Grille opens: Gene and Anneliese Pelland took over the barn space and spent two months renovating it. They expanded the kitchen, added an 11-seat bar, and opened with 60 seats inside and room for 60 more on a dog-friendly patio.

The barn has a lot of public money in it. In 2015, LNP reported that the township had spent about $3 million roughly ten years earlier to turn the roughly 250-year-old barn into restaurant and banquet space. The barn half of the split found a steady operator. The Sand Trap never did, and it stayed with the township.

What the Golf Course Study Found in March

What's behind this fall's RFP showed up at the commissioners' meeting on March 9, 2026. Mike Attara, CEO of Spirit Golf, came back to talk through an operational study of Overlook Golf Course that his company had prepared. According to the meeting minutes, he said the course "is running well, and it is profitable," and selling about 46,000 rounds a year.

He spent most of his time on food. The minutes say he came to talk about "how to stabilize the food and drink operations and better connect this service with the golf course operation." Asked whether his company would work with the current golf pro and course superintendent, he described "a disconnect" between the restaurant and the course and said "a lot of the need is in the food service component."

So Overlook's golf side was making money while the food side was the part that needed fixing. The October RFP aims at that weak spot by asking for a single operator across the whole Overlook campus.

At the same meeting, a resident who walks Overlook Park raised the shortage of parking at the course. Assistant Township Manager Andy Bowman said the township had a capital project planned for this year to add golf course parking.

A Neighbor Pitched the Sand Trap First

Later that evening, David Pelland spoke to the board. He introduced himself as owner and operator of Stoner Commons, next door to the golf course. He offered to take over the Sand Trap under the same kind of partnership Stoner Commons has. He would cover all operations and operating expenses, and the township would keep ownership.

The minutes record several details that show what a combined operation could look like:

• Shared staff. Pelland said the Sand Trap needs only a small crew, so one call-out can leave it short. Running both locations would give him a staff pool that could cover either one.
• Fast startup. He said he could be running at some limited capacity within two to four weeks using his current staff and inventory.
• The same register system. Both restaurants use Toast, and he said Toast's local sales rep told him switching the Sand Trap to a new entity would be simple.
• A golf focus. When asked about live music, he said the Sand Trap would stay golf-focused, with some room for cross-promotion. He talked about bringing the bar out to the outdoor space. When an early-morning golfer asked about grab-and-go coffee and breakfast sandwiches, he said he had ideas for early tee times.

Vice-President Kulp said he did not favor the township continuing to run the Sand Trap. President Gifford asked Pelland for his full written proposal. Seven months later, the township issued an open solicitation that covers the Stoner Grille building as well. Any operator can bid, and the township has not said publicly what the lease term or rent structure will be.

The Expansion That Isn't Happening

You may remember an earlier plan for a bigger Sand Trap. LNP reported that the restaurant would close temporarily for a renovation. The work would have enclosed part of the covered patio, built a larger bar, and added two uncovered patios and four restrooms, taking indoor seating to about 140, nearly three times what it has now.

That project is dead. The township had budgeted $700,000 for it, and the bids came in higher. According to LNP's meeting coverage, commissioners voted unanimously to reject them. Township Manager Rick Kane told LNP afterward, "The bids were rejected so there is no project."

As a result, whoever wins the new contract will take over the Sand Trap at its current size. In March, Pelland described the improvements he had in mind as cosmetic changes to the bar and outdoor space. He said he had no cost estimates yet and wanted to work with the township on whatever funds were available.

The Calendar From Here

The township has published the full schedule. On the day this post goes up, the question window is still open.

Answers and addenda will be posted on the township's RFP page. Questions go to Assistant Township Manager Andy Bowman. If March 8 holds, the board will approve a lease shortly before the next golf season starts.

If you'd like to ask about it in person, the township has scheduled Coffee with a Commissioner for Saturday, November 21, from 8:30 to 10 a.m. in the Public Meeting Room at the Municipal Office.

Where to Eat at Overlook in the Meantime

Nothing in the RFP says either restaurant is closing. Here are the current schedules for both:

• Stoner Grille has an online ordering page on Toast. Pickup and delivery hours there are noon to 6:45 p.m. Sunday, closed Monday, 4:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, and noon to 9:30 p.m. Saturday. The Stoner Commons events page lists Wednesday trivia along with live music. Upstairs, The Barn handles events for up to 150 guests.
• The Sand Trap is seasonal. The Overlook restaurant page lists it as open seven days a week in season, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday through Sunday, with a 2026 menu posted. The course calendar shows Overlook closed on Thanksgiving and closing at 2 p.m. on Christmas Eve, so check before you head over.

Park amenities like Overlook's are part of why homes near Lititz Pike and Granite Run Drive appeal to buyers, and we keep an eye on how they change. If you live near the park and want to know how your home compares in today's market, the John Smith Team will put together a free home valuation and share what we're seeing around Overlook. Request a Free Home Valuation.