One more amenity bites the dust in America’s friendliest home town. Katie Belles is to become apartments in Spanish Springs. Apparently the developer is on a rampage to convert The Villages into a mixed multi family community for which the roads were not designed to hold the traffic. Urban sprawl at its worst.
Is the Waterfront Inn at Sumter Landing next?

[rustyp]

Originally Posted by John41

One more amenity bites the dust in America’s friendliest home town. Katie Belles is to become apartments in Spanish Springs. Apparently the developer is on a rampage to convert The Villages into a mixed multi family community for which the roads were not designed to hold the traffic. Urban sprawl at its worst.

Hold on to your boot straps. Here comes the experts flogging you for for saying Katie Belle's is an amenity. Then we will continue on that tangent instead of discussing the real issue of Katie Belle's closing and being replaced by somewhat of a surprise (good or bad?) in a commercial area.

[Wing-nut2]

How long will it be before The Villages offers Fully Furnished Apartments complete with golf cart use? Are they trying to kill the buy a house and rent it until retirement market?

It's all about the $$$.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Wing-nut2

How long will it be before The Villages offers Fully Furnished Apartments complete with golf cart use? Are they trying to kill the buy a house and rent it until retirement market?

It's all about the $$$.

1,000 apartments vs 60,000 homes...............they will need a bigger fly swatter before they can kill anything.

[CanTho]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

1,000 apartments vs 60,000 homes...............they will need a bigger fly swatter before they can kill anything.

Love the response, " Precious ".

[Madelaine Amee]

Originally Posted by John41

Is the Waterfront Inn at Sumter Landing next?

What a great idea ......... I'll be first in line for one of those

[CanTho]

Originally Posted by John41

One more amenity bites the dust in America’s friendliest home town. Katie Belles is to become apartments in Spanish Springs. Apparently the developer is on a rampage to convert The Villages into a mixed multi family community for which the roads were not designed to hold the traffic. Urban sprawl at its worst.
Is the Waterfront Inn at Sumter Landing next?

Katie Belle's an " Amenity " ?

The agent conveniently forgot to inform me bummer if I had only known

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Eventually, everything in the The Villages will be turned into apartments. There will be no rec centers, no pools, no golf courses, no tennis courts, no parks and no single family homes. The goal is to turn it into The Bronx of Florida. 😂😂

[pkfavreau2]

I thought Katie Belles was resident owned. That is at least what we were told, of course they renovated it without any residents input. Oh well.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Wing-nut2

How long will it be before The Villages offers Fully Furnished Apartments complete with golf cart use? Are they trying to kill the buy a house and rent it until retirement market?

It's all about the $$$.

Apparently there is another poster with a very similar name to Wingnut the guy with the drone.

Am I right? This is very confusing. I read the post above and thought.......this doesn't sound like Wing Nut. AT ALL. And I disagree, with the post above. I really don't like it when someone uses a very similar name. It happened to me once and that was done with malice.

[Dana1963]

I could care less even if they turn the 3 theaters into apartments. Don’t plan on ever going again.

[dadspet]

As homeowners since 2007 we were sad and disappointed that Katie Belles was remodeled and now even worst being converted into Apartments. As dancers, one of the key attractions for us buying a house here was our " Private - Resident Only unique two story country night club, Katie Belles". We really enjoyed the entertainment and atmosphere of the original Katie Belles. Whenever friends visited the first place we would take them was Katie Belles. When they converted it into a 2nd Floor only restaurant with entertainment it lost most of its unique atmosphere but still wasn't a bad place to go for dancing and a meal ( yes we did eat there and loved their martini flights) but it was no longer unique it just became a nice restaurant with a nice (but sticky) dance floor. Everyone we knew that went there was clearly in agreement it was a step in the wrong direction. Now removing it altogether and putting in Apartments is even worst. Adding more and more apartments and removing landmarks is a sad direction. Our hope is that they have a plan to recreate the 2 story Katie Belles in one of the new areas > Seems like the restaurant space in Brownwood next to BlueFin would be a great location and it's been vacant since the Square opened. But then again that's only a wishful dream and chances of converting that space into apartments ( and the square itself) is probably more likely. Sad very sad!

[Wing-nut2]

Gracie Girl

The other guy is GoldwingNut. I don’t know how long he’s been on the board, but I’ve been here over 10 years. Not sure, but I think I was here first. I average less than 2 posts per month. I clearly don’t try to be poster of the month, so I’m not surprised you don’t know me.

[Dond1959]

Originally Posted by dadspet

As homeowners since 2007 we were sad and disappointed that Katie Belles was remodeled and now even worst being converted into Apartments. As dancers, one of the key attractions for us buying a house here was our " Private - Resident Only unique two story country night club, Katie Belles". We really enjoyed the entertainment and atmosphere of the original Katie Belles. Whenever friends visited the first place we would take them was Katie Belles. When they converted it into a 2nd Floor only restaurant with entertainment it lost most of its unique atmosphere but still wasn't a bad place to go for dancing and a meal ( yes we did eat there and loved their martini flights) but it was no longer unique it just became a nice restaurant with a nice (but sticky) dance floor. Everyone we knew that went there was clearly in agreement it was a step in the wrong direction. Now removing it altogether and putting in Apartments is even worst. Adding more and more apartments and removing landmarks is a sad direction. Our hope is that they have a plan to recreate the 2 story Katie Belles in one of the new areas > Seems like the restaurant space in Brownwood next to BlueFin would be a great location and it's been vacant since the Square opened. But then again that's only a wishful dream and chances of converting that space into apartments ( and the square itself) is probably more likely. Sad very sad!

I think Katie Belle’s in the Brownwood location is a great idea! Now, all you have to do is raise the capital, plan the location, and execute your plan! Any business has to make money for the investor or it doesn’t work. You may of loved the place the times you went there, but not enough people supported the business to keep it going. The same with HH country club. The developer provides plenty of opportunities for businesses to open and succeed. It is up to the business and customers to ensure the business stays feasible. If any business, no matter the location, is not profitable it will not stay open. It is not the obligation of the developer to keep these businesses open.

[mrfixit]

Originally Posted by Madelaine Amee

What a great idea ......... I'll be first in line for one of those

My sister will be in line right behind you at Spanish Springs........AND...

IF they convert the Waterfront Inn...OR ...any of the second floor office spaces at Lake Sumter Landing....
I will be 1st in line there.....
PLUS...NO WINKING....
I really would move to an apartment @ LSL in a Heartbeat.