[rustyp]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

So on the subject of Amenities, here's the question that always pops into my mind.

Does the Developer have the unlimited right to add residences, who will all have unlimited rights to all the existing amenities, regardless of where they're located?

IF the Developer opted to stop building Recreational Centers, can he still keep adding homes, which have unlimited rights to the already constructed Recreational Centers & Pools?

IF the Developer opted to stop building Executive Golfs courses, do the folks in those newer villages (presumably South), have the unlimited right to inundate the existing Executive Courses in the North?

Does the Developer have the unequivocal right to decide how many Executive Golf courses, pools, recreational centers, etc., are needed to serve a given population?

As near as I can see, there's no obligation for the Developer to provide "x number of Executive Golf course holes, per x number of residences" ... nor any obligation to do the same with Recreational Centers or any other amenity. It seems he's the sole judge of what's necessary or fair?

Amy I missing something, besides the obvious that some things are "market driven".

Originally Posted by Goldwingnut

The developer does not have unlimited rights to add additional residential units in the existing CDD, they do however usually retain a small number. A few years ago they had approximately 300 amenity contracts associated with the RAD (north of 466) and has exercised a few of these options over the last few years.

With respect to the number of amenities provided in the new areas, yes by all means it is their sole right and judgment to determine how many new amenities they build in these areas, no the residents don't get a say in it. It's their money, their land, and their business model, and they can do whatever they legally want to, so yes, they get to be the sole judge. That being said, they've been at this a very long time and know their market better than anyone, including the residents, why would stop feeding the goose that laid the golden eggs - why would they stop building the amenities that are key to driving home sales? Sure, you can feast on goose for dinner and enjoy the feast - reap additional profits by saving on new amenities - but this is very short term and would lead to hunger/failure very quickly. All your hypothetical “IF”s are simply “what if they start mutilating the goose”, they are much better business people than that.

The developer can continue to build as long as they want and within the limits of the development agreements continue to grow The Villages. Within these development agreements there is verbiage that provides guidance on equitable amenities – “don’t kill the goose, feed the goose regularly”; most is probably unnecessary.

There is an ebb & flow to the number of homes versus number of amenities, 40+ years of history clearly indicates they clearly understand this and adjust accordingly. Golf courses are a prime example, some areas do not lend themselves to golf courses or sometimes they try something new – pitch & putts. As homes continue to be built, so do the homes. For the golf courses there are at least 5 executive and 3 more championship courses under construction or planned, with I’m sure many more to follow.

Not everything is perfect, a prime example is the small number of swimming pools north of 466 in CDD 3 & 4. Perceptions are also not perfect, the number of golf courses compared to the actual number of homes (not the perceived number) is much closer to the norm than most perceive.

Bottom line is, until you pony up and put your money at risk like they have, you don’t get a say in what the future holds and what they build, and they get to make all the decisions. Until then, just like in the financial ads, past performance is not a guarantee of future performance and cannot be guaranteed. I’m no gambler and don’t like taking unnecessary risks, in the case of The Villages, to me it’s as close to a sure thing as I can get for the place I’ve retired.

Until I (we) pony up ?
Paradise Center $40 mil lawsuit
Brownwood water tower
Lake Sumter shoreline reclaim
Lake Sumter boardwalk

As long as there is money in the pot someone will figure out how to spend it.

Want a sure thing ? Here is my sure thing. There will never be another deferral rate. We will index amenities to CPI index and never miss a beat. We will fall behind and institute special bailout funds.

Still it is close to Utopia here however some people make it sound like the king just keeps on giving and the peasants keep on taking. No the peasants are paying their share just as they agreed to do.