A miniature golf course owner in Lawrence fought back and stopped a huge rent hike that he says would have forced him to close down.

As News 12 has reported, Five Towns Mini Golf & Batting Range owner Marty Rosen and his son Matt thought they may not be around for much longer. Last year, they received a notice from the state Department of Transportation, which owns the land, informing them that their rent was about to skyrocket.

“The increase in rent was going to be 160 percent, per month,” says Marty Rosen.

But the Rosens appealed the DOT's decision. With the help of a community petition and letters of support from local leaders, the DOT changed course. The Rosens say the DOT sent them a letter saying it would accept a 35 percent increase and that it would revisit the rent in two years.

Five Towns Mini Golf & Batting Range has been around for 40 years. Marty Rosen says the hope is to continue operating for years. If they can’t, they say it’s nice to know the community stepped up to help.

“The community really supports us, and we really appreciate them very much,” says Matt Rosen.