[RickeyD]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

The Villages has many unique features. Probably "free golf for life" is the best known.
The active lifestyle and hundreds of activities/clubs/pools are also well known. Also the three Town Squares.
We will still have a Resident's club called Katie Belles.
I doubt the lack of a two-story KB will deter anyone from buying a home in The Villages.

Exactly. KB's ain't a make or a break, simply a nice little add on.

[Challenger]

Have lived here for five years. Never been inKB. Actually never trhought about going. Won't go when it reopens.

My guess is that the vast majority of Villagers feel the same. Never hear anyone even mention KB except here.

I empathise with those who have lost a venue that they enjoyed and maybe if it had been better patronized , things might be different. The sky however will not fall.

Business failures , bankruptcies,etc are the cleansing agents that clear out the least efficient parts of our economy and make room for innovation and renewal. Most other systems end up looking like the old USSR.

For me -- I'll take take capitalism even though there may be some pain from time to time.

[BigbirdPhila]

Originally Posted by looneycat

ridiculous! The Villages hardly needs KBS to distinguish itself in the market...

Then somebody should tell the sales reps that they are wasting their time. They now take prospective buyers to see KB's on their sales tour. To show those people what helps set the Villages apart from other retirement communities they might be considering. The new KB's will not have the same "wow" factor as the old one -- it will be interesting to see if it even remains on the tour. It might just be shown on the lifestyle video.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by BigbirdPhila

Then somebody should tell the sales reps that they are wasting their time. They now take prospective buyers to see KB's on their sales tour. To show those people what helps set the Villages apart from other retirement communities they might be considering. The new KB's will not have the same "wow" factor as the old one -- it will be interesting to see if it even remains on the tour. It might just be shown on the lifestyle video.

Skeptical here. They haven't with the friends who recently were here to look.

They gave out free meal three, four years ago.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Challenger

Have lived here for five years. Never been inKB. Actually never trhought about going. Won't go when it reopens.

My guess is that the vast majority of Villagers feel the same. Never hear anyone even mention KB except here.

I empathise with those who have lost a venue that they enjoyed and maybe if it had been better patronized , things might be different. The sky however will not fall.

Business failures , bankruptcies,etc are the cleansing agents that clear out the least efficient parts of our economy and make room for innovation and renewal. Most other systems end up looking like the old USSR.

For me -- I'll take take capitalism even though there may be some pain from time to time.

Agree.
KB is just one place within three town squares.
KB does not define the "Lifestyle."
Been in there three times and the food was average at best.

[BigbirdPhila]

Originally Posted by Bonny

It would be a shame if people don't go there because they "don't like" the change.

It's not that they wouldn't like it -- it's just that the new one will not have the "wow" of the old one to draw them there. Many people now take visiting friends to KB's to show them something different. Most people have never been in a wild west-style dance hall. The new one will be more generic -- a restaurant with free music and a very small dance floor. Something people can probably find closer to their home -- why fight the traffic and parking to go to Spanish Springs?

My contention is that less people will be prone to go to the new KB's than the old one. It might gross less $$ per year than the old one. The redeeming factor, as far as the accountants are concerned, is the extra $$ the first floor retail space will bring in that the current KB's doesn't.

[Bonny]

Originally Posted by BigbirdPhila

It's not that they wouldn't like it -- it's just that the new one will not have the "wow" of the old one to draw them there. Many people now take visiting friends to KB's to show them something different. Most people have never been in a wild west-style dance hall. The new one will be more generic -- a restaurant with free music and a very small dance floor. Something people can probably find closer to their home -- why fight the traffic and parking to go to Spanish Springs?

My contention is that less people will be prone to go to the new KB's than the old one. It might gross less $$ per year than the old one. The redeeming factor, as far as the accountants are concerned, is the extra $$ the first floor retail space will bring in that the current KB's doesn't.

I would venture to say that those that really went to Katie Belles a lot to dance and enjoy the bands & music will continue to do so. They were the big supporters. Not the ones who take visiting friends & family there twice a year.

[Jayhawk]

Eastern, PanAm, TWA, Continental. No one flies them anymore because they are GONZO.

Everyone listens when EF Hutton speaks. Not anymore. Silenced. OUT OF BUSINESS.

Let's shop at Woolworth's or Monkey Wards. Nope - GONE.

I am actually typing this on my COMPAQ computer but WHEN it stops working, I can't replace it. COMPAQ is DONE.

Quick, grab your Poloroid camera and take a snapshot before KB's shuts the doors.

Hakuna matata.

[BigbirdPhila]

Originally Posted by Bonny

I would venture to say that those that really went to Katie Belles a lot to dance and enjoy the bands & music will continue to do so. They were the big supporters.

The new small dance floor will not handle the big crowds. The Rocky & the Rollers rock & roll nights, the Tony D. ballroom nights, and the Lee Ann Noel & Redneck Country Club Band country nights. Those people will have to find a new place to dance.

[Bonny]

Originally Posted by BigbirdPhila

The new small dance floor will not handle the big crowds. The Rocky & the Rollers rock & roll nights, the Tony D. ballroom nights, and the Lee Ann Noel & Redneck Country Club Band country nights. Those people will have to find a new place to dance.

What is the size of the dance floor ?

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by BigbirdPhila

The new small dance floor will not handle the big crowds. The Rocky & the Rollers rock & roll nights, the Tony D. ballroom nights, and the Lee Ann Noel & Redneck Country Club Band country nights. Those people will have to find a new place to dance.

Yes they will.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Jayhawk

Eastern, PanAm, TWA, Continental. No one flies them anymore because they are GONZO.

Everyone listens when EF Hutton speaks. Not anymore. Silenced. OUT OF BUSINESS.

Let's shop at Woolworth's or Monkey Wards. Nope - GONE.

I am actually typing this on my COMPAQ computer but WHEN it stops working, I can't replace it. COMPAQ is DONE.

Quick, grab your Poloroid camera and take a snapshot before KB's shuts the doors.

Hakuna matata.

Good words here.

[BigbirdPhila]

Originally Posted by Bonny

What is the size of the dance floor ?

In the artist's rendition that I saw, there is no dance floor. But I have talked to Tony D. and he says there will be a "small" dance floor.

[Bonny]

Oh, I thought you knew the size when you said it was a small dance floor.
I'm sure the dance floor will be fine. The Villages always does an A-1 job.

[tomwed]

My first impression 3 years ago was that the villages reminded me of Disney World. Each square had a theme. Katie Belles was like the Hoopie De Doo review. The grounds are immaculate and the flowers change seasonally. If you get to the squares very early in the morning there are leaf blowers making everything very neat and tidy. There are large crowds with a bit of excitement. There are golf carts which remind me of kiddie cars with some looking like sports cars and at least one looking like a fire truck and another a mack truck. Those are like the Disney rides.

That "look" was calculated and well executed. Restaurants can come and go, as well as gift shops but a private Hoopie De Doo review still makes me smile. I went there twice. I'm still too tired at night golfing and biking to go there. But it "felt good" knowing that when all I can do is see a dinner show or movie or cheap little concert, that will be here.

And it "felt good" to know, that's all. It's not a crises, the sky is not falling, not a deal breaker, or house value dropper and certainly not the end of the world as I know it. I'm not opposed to any kind of change.