[dporta]

I was talking with someone today who said that once the Morse's are done with this location they are building another location in Texas with the two Bush presidents. Has anyone heard this and if so, where, and I wonder how much truth there is to the statement.

[Bogie Shooter]

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by dporta

I was talking with someone today who said that once the Morse's are done with this location they are building another location in Texas with the two Bush presidents. Has anyone heard this and if so, where, and I wonder how much truth there is to the statement.

Villages commercial sales director debunks myth of mall on SR-44
March 20, 2014 By Jeremiah Delgado 1 Comment

Scott Renick
Villages Commercial Sales and Leasing Directory Scott Renick debunked a handful of myths circulating in The Villages during Thursday morning�s Rotary Club meeting at La Hacienda Recreation Center. Renick opened the morning�s discussion by asking Rotarians and guests if they had heard about the rumored mall on State Road 44 and then indicating that it was a myth.
�It�s not going to happen,� said Renick in regards to the rumored mall. Renick also dispelled rumors of construction of a replica city modeled after The Villages in Texas, and a common misconception that the sales and leasing office receives a percentage of business�s sales. He also discussed areas in which the community is currently developing, including the planned assisted living facility Buffalo Crossing. Renick also provided insight into misconceptions and general misinformation that many businesses incorrectly use in their decision-making process to stay out of the Villages.
Renick indicated that at just over 100,000 residents as of March 1, 2014, The Villages now has a larger population than a collection of other Florida cities, including West Palm Beach, Miami Beach, and Daytona Beach. Renick discussed ongoing construction (west of U.S. 301 in Oxford) of a new community to address the �demand for workforce housing� that the growth in The Villages has created. Although it is difficult to determine the exact number, Renick estimates that a few hundred thousand people comprise the community and economy of The Villages each year. He cites visitors, students, professionals and a collection of others who live, commute, and frequent the Villages.
Despite everything listed above, the perception of the size and accompanying services in The Villages is largely speculative among outsiders. The physical size of the community and accompanying workforce are obvious to those living in and around The Villages, but Renick indicated that a common misconception among businesses interested in moving into The Villages is that the area might not support their business. He indicated this misconception was driven by bad data. He provided multiple examples of businesses that, until they visited the area or learned more about The Villages, had little or no interest or understanding of the active adult community.
During the question and answer portion of the morning�s discussion, Rotarians asked Renick about a few well-known, larger corporations including Costco and Whole Foods, and major department stores like Macy�s and Dillards. �We�ve talked with Costco off and on for a number of years,� indicated Renick of the possibility of the popular wholesale franchise moving into The Villages. He suggested that the perceived �size� of The Villages and existence of similar company�s have both played parts in the company�s reluctance to consider a location.
�If we could get the demand for it�we have the area to do it�it�s just balancing out [whether we can] get the interest,� Renick stated of the interest from larger department stores. One Rotarian asked about interest from large sports stores similar to Dick�s Sporting Goods or Sports Authority. Renick indicated that larger sporting goods stores were unaware of the sports market in The Villages.

[GatorFan]

Been hearing that rumor for 10 years

[Villages Kahuna]

Originally Posted by dporta

I was talking with someone today who said that once the Morse's are done with this location they are building another location in Texas with the two Bush presidents. Has anyone heard this and if so, where, and I wonder how much truth there is to the statement.

That's a longstanding rumor that's been going around.

Anything is possible, I suppose, but I have it on very good authority--someone very, very close to the Morse family, so close that a major street in TV carries his family name--that there's no "Villages Texas" on anyone's mind. If there was to be another Villages in Texas, this person would almost certainly be involved.

He says that neither he or the family is going anywhere. The family has enough commercial buildout, lease-up and property management to last for a decade or more. On top of that, many of the family own substantial amounts of land in and around central Florida which is and will be developed, both for residential and commercial projects. On the scale of The Villages? No. But building shopping centers and home development is plenty to keep the current generation of the family and other participants quite busy for a long time.

I would say that the only upcoming worry, if there really is one, is what the next generation of Morses like to do. That would be Harold Schwartz's great grandchildren.

[Neal2tire]

In my opinion.. take note that I'm an independent thinker who moved here from the liberal confines of Hollywood CA. If I was to find out that that the Morse family were going to extend the Villages ALL THE WAY to the west coast of FL and then North to Georgia and then take over the United States I would not only be happy but I would sign on as their campaign manager.
What has been done here is no less then one of the 20 most amazing feats of mankind.
I have some complaints with the food etc. BUT
Neal G

[jbdlfan]

Originally Posted by Neal2tire

In my opinion.. take note that I'm an independent thinker who moved here from the liberal confines of Hollywood CA. If I was to find out that that the Morse family were going to extend the Villages ALL THE WAY to the west coast of FL and then North to Georgia and then take over the United States I would not only be happy but I would sign on as their campaign manager.
What has been done here is no less then one of the 20 most amazing feats of mankind.
I have some complaints with the food etc. BUT
Neal G

I certainly hope this an attempt at hyperbole. Don't think I would put creation of The Villages in the top 20 accomplishments in Florida.....
But a great idea all the same.

[Bizdoc]

Originally Posted by dporta

I was talking with someone today who said that once the Morse's are done with this location they are building another location in Texas with the two Bush presidents. Has anyone heard this and if so, where, and I wonder how much truth there is to the statement.

I bet they said that W would personally clear all of the brush...