The Georgia Golf Hall of Fame's signature statues might be leaving Augusta, even if the Reynolds Street property that once housed the hall's botanical gardens ends up being owned by the city.

"I would very much like to see the statues stay local as they have been a part of our city for many years, but this is not our choice to make at this point," said Mayor Deke Copenhaver, who is working with state officials on efforts to secure the 17-acre site for the city.

Weighing 700 to 1,200 pounds apiece -- and costing an average of $100,000 -- the bronze statues of golf greats Jack Nicklaus, Bobby Jones, Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan and Ray Floyd were the signature features of the now-defunct gardens.

The statues were moved to a maintenance building for storage in September 2007, three months after the organization ran out of money and closed the gardens. The Hall of Fame announced last month that it would petition the General Assembly, which created it in 1986, to formally dissolve the organization.

Bryan Persons, the hall's chairman, said a request involving the disposition of the statues will be included in the organization's pending request to the General Assembly, which is being prepared with input from the Georgia Attorney General's Office.

"After talking with a board member who is heading up the request to the Legislature, it appears that our request to them will include some direction on what we can and cannot do with the statues," Mr. Persons said. "Accordingly, we are not seeking an opinion from the attorney general directly, but it will be part of our proposal to dissolve the authority."

Sen. Ed Tarver, D-Augusta, has been involved in negotiations with Gov. Sonny Perdue about the city's request for the land that was purchased for the Hall of Fame and gardens. The senator said this week that he is still waiting to hear from Mr. Perdue's staff, which is trying to find out if the land could be legally transferred to the city at no cost.

Mr. Tarver said it was his understanding that the state has no claim to the statues because they were purchased with donated funds. If there is a question about the new foundation's ownership, he said, that would be between the foundation and the original donors.

Mr. Persons has said the Hall of Fame hopes to reconstitute itself as a private, nonprofit organization. Currently it is a state board whose property is owned by the State Properties Commission.