No more Entertainment at the Squares
 

It appears that we could lose our entertainment on the squares.
I just read a post from someone running for commissioner (not an incumbent) that he would not agree to use to use the hotel tax (this is the money that is currently used to fund entertainment at the Brownwood and Lake Sumter squares).
So, essentially, entertainment could be gone on Brownwood and Lake Sumter squares.

I thought the business owners paid for the nightly entertainment. No?

kathy

10 out of 10 Pinocchios!

File with Duke Golf Cart Path and Historical Bridge being ripped down thread. Another no go.

Squares entertainment sell houses.
They will continue!

The funding for the town squares entertainment comes from both the Sumter County Tourism Development Council and The Villages (the company not the CDDs, amenity fees, or any other resident funded source). Both have agreed to contribute $120,000 this year for the entertainment. The SCTDC collects about $600K annually with the 2% short term (<6 month) occupancy tax. It is estimated that 20,000+ room nights annually are contributed to hotel occupancy in Sumter County as a result of the town square entertainment investment. Sumter County benefits significantly from additional tax revenues collect from visitors' patronage of local businesses, including restaurants, gas stations, and shopping. The town square merchants, who contribute significantly to The Villages portion of the contribution, benefit by the increased business before and during the time the entertainment is provided.

Does it, the entertainment, help sell houses, absolutely. Selling houses keeps a significant segment of the workforce in Sumter and a dozen surrounding counties employed and is the primary economic engine of Sumter County. Thousands of jobs rely directly on the construction of homes in The Villages, and many thousands more off-site 2nd, 3rd, and 4th tier jobs supporting the construction industry also rely on this work. The construction of homes also drives a substantial secondary construction industry in the tri-county area - the companies you hire to do work on your home after you buy it - hundreds of small businesses employing a few thousand people. I'm not saying that the entertainment is responsible for all these jobs, but it does contribute positively to the overall economy of the area.

And, we as the residents, get to enjoy free entertainment every night (excluding the COVID period) at a safe and convenient location. Don't shoot the goose that lays the golden egg.

I would like to see the original poster site their reference for their post. If in fact some candidate is espousing such a position, then they are demonstrating a lack of understanding of the basic economics of Sumter County and calls into question what other areas of how the county works do they lack understanding. Their suitability for this leadership position would then be questionable. While I don't totally agree or like some of the positions of the current County Commissioner, the lack of understanding already demonstrated by some of the candidates running to replace them is even more scary and could lead us (Sumter County) down a self-destructive path. Perhaps the old adage "better the devil you know than the devil you don't" has some play here. Think long and hard before you vote.

I have no idea if you are factual or not.

Provide a link to the alleged post or retract the claim.

Those trying to get onto the county commision have basically vowed to do everything anti-developer. How is this any different than doing everything pro-developer?

Wondering why the County Commission candidates would desire to damage the County that they want to represent?
The developer built a nice place here hence it grows exponentially. Yes he makes a nice profit from willing buyers of his product. Is that Bad?

Hopefully I've uploaded the file correctly. He's said it on multiple threads. He would not use the $120,000 for square entertainment. He would expect the developer to pay for it.
Here is a link...
Sumter County Politics Public Group | Facebook

Wise words Goldwingnut. Below is another thread (from a different Facebook group) where Oren Miller says again he would stop funding square entertainment.

Thanks, Mr. Miller's comments just proved my point from above, he doesn't realize what the developer is actually already paying half, if not more, and demonstrating his lack of knowledge and understanding of even simple things in Sumter County.

Being anti-developer is not the same as being pro-resident. There are many win-win issues for the residents, the county, and the developer. Killing the cow today may put steak on the table tonight but you'll yearn for the milk and the cheese come tomorrow and all the days after.

Quite an extrapolation from "... heard from SOMEONE running for commissioner..."

Hence the extrapolation is the someone heard is elected.
The someone heard single handedly opposes spending of certain monies.

And everybody else would just fold and go along witht the newbie commissioner.

This definitely goes in the bridge be gone and build out files!!

Interesting information.

Now it has us thinking about whom to vote for.

I think that free entertainment will continue but if the county stops paying its share where will the funds needed to fund this come from?

Everyone needs to consider what and who affects your lifestyle and VALUE of your home!!
Trust me 20+ yrs as a Realtor.

Let's not forget Johnny Wild and the Delights!

So... what about property taxes this year? Who is for increases, who is not? More interested in that than entertainment right now.

Serious misrepresentation by TV
 

I think this would be a serious misrepresentation by TV. Many of us came here and saw one or more of the sales presentations and perhaps even took a trolley tour. The entertainment at the squares was one of the "big" amenities talked about and we had no way of knowing how these were funded.

I like how the incumbents say they reduced taxes 13 out of 14 years. They neglect to say how they raised taxes 25% last year. The developer and cronies are spending a decent buck to get them reelected.

Not me! :)

And in the local paper they actually said the 25% increase was fake news. And if you believe that have a bridge for you.

Yes, it was fake news for me at least. My tax went up 28%.

I too wish people would show/post the exact source when these things are posted so others could check it out for themselves; however, I suppose it is possible that some candidates could hold this opinion. The point is, ONE person, if elected, does not mean this is the majority view. If it is the view all hold, then (although sad for us "villagers") that's called Democracy ! ? It's the way things work (or SHOULD work), in our republic ! Don't jump on ME ! I am NOT saying I do NOT want the money flow to The V's entertainment budget any longer. Only that the desire of the majority of the people in the county but outside The V's, may be quite different. The best argument to continue the flow of the money was made by a poster on here; that Villagers enjoy the entertainment, but the entire area benefits from the job opportunities (FAR FAR cry from when my children were very young and the only employment available here was in the citrus industry). When we would come down to Florida to visit family from our home "up north", we called passing through Sumter "no man's land", as we knew we had to fill the tank in Ocala as there was nothing for many miles !

Well, if they stop the entertainment in the squares they might as well put up big apartment complexes in the center of each square. At least that would be in an area zoned commercial and wouldn't be plopped right in the middle of an area of single family residential homes like Hacienda Hills.

It would make life for the shops and restaurants in the square very difficult. I am sure a lot of their revenue is from people going to hear some music and than off for dinner.

That is what we have done until of course the virus decided to stop us.

:blahblahblah::blahblahblah::blahblahblah: Been here full time since 2004 and our county property taxes are lower now. I'll stick with the devil I know. :ho:

Knowing how popular and financially enticing the entertainment on the squares are, I bet that it’ll be back when it can be done safely.

I'm ok with the tax increase, compared to where I lived before I'm still ahead of the game. They could have raised them every year, probably should have, but then the posts here would be around what are they doing with the money. I happen to like living here and the services the County provides. I like the convenience and openness of the services. I like that they work closely with the Developer to provide forward and coordinated thinking and actions don't really care what that arrangement really is or isn't. I know the rest of the County needs support and hope this tax program will help them also. I'm not convinced that changing the team won't take us backwards, but then we will have something else to complain about here right?

///

I agree with everything you said. If the developer stopped at 466 or even 466a, my wife and I would not be living here since our village would have never been built. The developer has done a wonderful job giving us a great way to spend our retirement years. I hope his vision continues.

How’d you do that? What’s your secret? My house is an ordinary designer at Mallory, average size house, average size lot.

So is there really a need for a 4th square if the entertainment will be gone? Why not just have a few areas (strip malls) with restaurants and shops?

So when everyone complains that "we were promised entertainment" etc., you can't blame the Developer for this one. You can blame yourself for voting in the EMS team.

So it's ok to send children back to school with teachers that have risk factors in high risk closed interior space but not ok to open the squares in fresh air outdoor space with significantly lower risk of virus transmission?

We now have over six months of evidence with outdoor activities in The Villages being low risk.

Some possibilities:

1) He doesn't live in Sumter County.
2) For some reason, the assessed value of his house dropped significantly.
3) He applied for the homestead exemption.

I thin this deflects from the conversation...

I sure they are scooping out spot by Sumter Landing for big apartment complex? Now that they can do what ever they want. Book store lot looks might pleasing? Or better yet waterfront lot?

Not close contact areas Where can’t or won’t separate at safe distance.

So does this.

Political platform. Thats all it is. So? Politicians tend to say what willget them vites. Nothing being said before an election should be given asecond thought

hilaroius
 

I find this HILARIOUS I could see some overnighters but we arent talking the beatles folks!
Another "EXAGGERATION "