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By MELODY JAMESON
mj@observernews.net
Sun City Center – Pointing, perhaps, to a new community focus as it approaches its second half century, residents here are thinking outside the golf course.
This is one of the signals sent by tabulated results of the first community-wide survey of resident opinion in SCC’s 49-year history. The two-part survey related to golf courses now for sale – one designed for general resident response; a second for active golfers - elicited replies from a total of more than 1,800 homeowners. And their summarized viewpoints were presented to Community Association directors during a meeting this week.
The retirement center, envisioned from its beginnings in the early 1960s as a golfing mecca for retirees from northern states finally able to devote long hours year around to the favored pastime, was touted for years on the basis of its courses, its golf school, its competitions. In time, it would host five layouts of varying size and description.
Today, as the community is concluding its first half century, three of those courses have been put on the market by developer WCI and one of the three is completely closed to play. Prospective buyers are not standing in line. In fact, the survey analysis points out, there presently are 10 courses within 10 miles of SCC, including its five and three in Kings Point. Yet, it is calculated the area population needed to attain membership levels sufficient to support this number of playing fields is only 20 percent of the normal requirement.
The survey overview goes on to posit that the developer, which once could afford to operate and maintain the courses at a loss during an era of heavy home sales, now is hard pressed to discharge liabilities as it makes its way out of bankruptcy. The result could be a corporate decision simply to abandon a course that cannot be operated profitably but still carries costly maintenance demands and taxes due.
Respondents, however, indicated they’re thinking about dealing with such a situation. Asked in several survey questions about their outlooks on the North Lakes course, if it no longer were a golf facility, about 60 percent opted for a park under CA control. Largely disinterested in a park open to the public, 92 percent of them envision, instead, bike and walking trails, picnic areas and garden plots, fishing ponds and contained dog run sections spotted throughout the contoured 170 acres with existing water features – a multi-faceted outdoor recreation jewel in the heart of the community’s north side.
Evident enthusiasm for this conversion, though, does not point to elimination of golf from the community, respondents said. Some 62 percent of them stated they still consider golf important to the SCC lifestyle . The survey analysis suggests that about 1,400 residents or 12.5 percent of SCC’s 11,000 citizens pay dues in order to use the local courses while another 500 to 700 or about 20 percent play occasionally. And, the report concludes, golf probably still is the single most attractive activity number-wise when compared with all the leisure activities available to residents.
Yet another sign of golf’s role in community life emerged from questions about use of a practice facility if it were included in a North Lakes course redevelopment. About 16 percent said they would use such an installation. But, since 65 percent of those are not dues- paying club members, the indication is a substantial number of residents have involvement with the game, although not on a regular basis.
Respondents also indicated strong support for re-opening the Golf and Racquet Club on South Pebble Beach Blvd., particularly its restaurant and pool, regardless of the ownership of the adjacent Sandpiper Golf Course. Sixty two percent said they’d like to see the restaurant brought back and 44 percent said they would pay an annual fee for the service. Working from these numbers, the indication is several thousand residents would support the dining facility and most would not object to non-resident members, the analysis states.
And when it came to out-of-pocket investment in conversion of the North Lakes course, for example, the gap between enthusiasm for the idea and willingness to pay was about the same. Slightly less than half of respondents favoring the park concept – 49 percent - said they’d ante up additional dues of about $20 per person. The other 51 percent they’d pay nothing willingly.
On some potential issues, non-golfers and players sharply parted company. A point on which non-golf respondents spoke clearly was CA ownership or management of any golf courses. By a margin of 72 percent to 22 percent, they said no to direct CA involvement. On the other hand, golfers would rather the CA operate their playing fields than a third party do so for profit.
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| ED BARNES |
The two tracks of the survey were handled by two task forces appointed by CA President Ed Barnes as part of preparations for change after WCI put the North Lakes, Sandpiper and Caloosa Greens courses up for sale. One panel has been led by Chuck Collett, recently elected a CA director, the other by Howie Griffin, a retiring director. A total of 1,377 residents responded to the general track and 485 golfers replied on their track. The subsequent reports emphasize that while they have statistical significance, they present surveyed resident opinions, not votes.
Both task forces recommend further study of the North Lakes property and of means to promote golf course utilization, along with continued monitoring of WCI actions in connection with the courses.
Barnes, agreeing with the call for standing committees to conduct additional investigation and evaluation, also suggested the present situation may offer an extraordinary opportunity for development of highly promotable community features in SCC’s best interests as it embarks on its second half century in 2011.
Copyright 2009 Melody Jameson
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