[DougB]

Originally Posted by DandyGirl

I don't mind contributing to the cost of the entertainment. It's still cheaper than going to a night club to get live entertainment.

I also would not mind paying for the cost of the entertainment, as long as it is real entertainment. I get really disappointed when the put these one man/woman or duo private karaoke shows on.

[Cisco Kid]

Originally Posted by gomoho

Sorry, but I can't think of a single thing this part of Florida could offer a tourist other than The Villages! My goodness think of all the fabulous parts of Florida with real bona-fide tourist attractions. Why would someone come to no-mans land other than to enjoy The Villages. So why couldn't the nightly entertainment on the squares be part of that attraction along with golf and restaurants and shopping?

The city of Wilmington NC bills itself as a historic district that brings in tourists that end up buying homes there either as 2nd homes or future retirement homes. The idea is bring them in and they'll love the community and buy and add to the tax base.

Hate to say it, but The Villages is a tourist attraction and could easily be promoted as such to a specific segment of society. Disney is for families/TV for retirees. Don't get the problem?

BING GO !!!!!!
We are packing right now, getting ready to head down to TV to spend this years vacation money. If not for TV & the squares, we would drive right past the area and go hundreds of miles south.

[justjim]

Governments are not the only sources for Grants. There are millions of dollars available from many many different sources----Foundations, Charities and various Endowments provide Grants for education, research and just about any kind of endeavor you can imagine. Don't laugh, might even be one out there for a parade!

[NJblue]

I agree that TV is THE tourist destination of Sumter County and that there are no other contenders. To spend money trying to develop other areas into tourist spots would be pouring money down a rat hole.

It is also true that the vast majority of the revenue source for this grant is from the motels around TV and short-term rentals in TV, so there is no "taking out of the pockets of the other parts of the county". It's quite the contrary - the rest of the county is a significant benefactor of TV. Without TV, there would be far fewer jobs and property taxes would be significantly higher. I'm sure that the presence of TV is a significant reason for the fact that property tax rates around the county go DOWN every year.

[justjim]

Originally Posted by Cisco Kid

BING GO !!!!!!
We are packing right now, getting ready to head down to TV to spend this years vacation money. If not for TV & the squares, we would drive right past the area and go hundreds of miles south.

Hey, Cisco come on down. Stay at one of our fabulous rental homes and be sure to Rent yourself a high speed golf cart and join the various thrill races that occur daily between Rt 42 and Rt 44 here in TV. I'm sure you will enjoy yourself. Oh, while you are "thrill riding", your significant other can spend your vacation money at several of TV'S places of business----you will need some "refreshment" following your thrill ride and you can join her at the square for dinner and dance yourself away all the way up to 9 o'clock. Sounds exciting doesn't it? And that is just the first day of the rest of your life!

[jbdlfan]

Originally Posted by perrjojo

we have been coming here for 12 years. Without TV and the squares, we would have never come here. Would you?

Absolutely!!!! Really, people move here for the squares?????? 90,0000 people call this home. Man, the squares would really be crowded....

[cabo35]

Originally Posted by jbdlfan

I too, have no dog in this fight, living in Marion County, but if I still lived in Sumter County and did not live in The Villages, I would have a serious problem supplementing activities in and around The Villages. The folks in Lake Pan, Bushnell, Webster and other parts of South Sumter won't see any benefit from this. As a matter of fact, many locals that have been born and raised here, carry a deep resentment for the way their county has been changed. Don't care too much, just saying......

Villagers contribute the biggest share of tax dollars that go into Sumter County's tax coffers. Those tax dollars go for schools.....Villagers don't have kids in school...., roads outside of the Villages, public safety resources in "Lake Pan, Bushnell, Webster and other parts of South Sumter." Funny thing....I don't hear of Villagers "carrying a deep resentment" toward locals who benefit from Villager tax dollars. To the contrary, Villagers support local businesses, use local contractors, volunteer and generously donate to local schools and charities.

I concede that if I were a local, I would miss quiet, lazy days fishing at my favorite childhood fishing hole with only my thoughts and the sound of the trade winds slipping through the trees , watching cattle graze or taking in a landscape of watermelon patches and wildlife instead of rooftops and roads. Sumter County is huge. I know there are places within Sumter where those memories still exist.

I don't hear too much resentment from the locals about the favorable economic impact, jobs, medical services, hospitals and financial opportunity for motivated native, "born and raised" who absent The Villages would be looking in Orlando, Tampa or Miami for decent work.

I do know some "locals" and they are wonderful people who do not express the resentment you suggest.

Like you......just saying.

[jbdlfan]

Originally Posted by gomoho

Sorry, but I can't think of a single thing this part of Florida could offer a tourist other than The Villages! My goodness think of all the fabulous parts of Florida with real bona-fide tourist attractions. Why would someone come to no-mans land other than to enjoy The Villages. So why couldn't the nightly entertainment on the squares be part of that attraction along with golf and restaurants and shopping?

The city of Wilmington NC bills itself as a historic district that brings in tourists that end up buying homes there either as 2nd homes or future retirement homes. The idea is bring them in and they'll love the community and buy and add to the tax base.

Hate to say it, but The Villages is a tourist attraction and could easily be promoted as such to a specific segment of society. Disney is for families/TV for retirees. Don't get the problem?

Not the point..... That's what some are missing. Should tax money be spent for this????? Tax Money?!?!?!?!?!? My goodness folks, if you want to subsidize the squares with tax money, why not have free drinks? Free food? no, that would be crazy..... just another form of welfare......hey, if we don't take it someone else will!
Wow........

[jbdlfan]

Originally Posted by cabo35

Villagers contribute the biggest share of tax dollars that go into Sumter County's tax coffers. Those tax dollars go for schools.....Villagers don't have kids in school...., roads outside of the Villages, public safety resources in "Lake Pan, Bushnell, Webster and other parts of South Sumter." Funny thing....I don't hear of Villagers "carrying a deep resentment" toward locals who benefit from Villager tax dollars. To the contrary, Villagers support local businesses, use local contractors, volunteer and generously donate to local schools and charities.

I concede that if I were a local, I would miss quiet, lazy days fishing at my favorite childhood fishing hole with only my thoughts and the sound of the trade winds slipping through the trees , watching cattle graze or taking in a landscape of watermelon patches and wildlife instead of rooftops and roads. Sumter County is huge. I know there are places within Sumter where those memories still exist.

I don't hear too much resentment from the locals about the favorable economic impact, jobs, medical services, hospitals and financial opportunity for motivated native, "born and raised" who absent The Villages would be looking in Orlando, Tampa or Miami for decent work.

I do know some "locals" and they are wonderful people who do not express the resentment you suggest.

Like you......just saying.

Maybe you should get out more.
Sorry, but locals OUTSIDE the TV resent this very much. Medical services-read the post here. Local contractors-hand picked and some are already bankrupt(yes, I know them personally)
But none of this have anything to do with tax money subsidizing fun at the square. And people around here think others have an entitlement mentality.....

[jbdlfan]

Originally Posted by NJblue

I agree that TV is THE tourist destination of Sumter County and that there are no other contenders. To spend money trying to develop other areas into tourist spots would be pouring money down a rat hole.

It is also true that the vast majority of the revenue source for this grant is from the motels around TV and short-term rentals in TV, so there is no "taking out of the pockets of the other parts of the county". It's quite the contrary - the rest of the county is a significant benefactor of TV. Without TV, there would be far fewer jobs and property taxes would be significantly higher. I'm sure that the presence of TV is a significant reason for the fact that property tax rates around the county go DOWN every year.

Schools received $4m less this year from last. Where is the benefit to the rest of the county??????

[justjim]

There are always those that are opposed to development. I've seen articles and letters to the editor of The Orlando Sentinetal expressing opinion that Orlando would have been better off if Disney World had never been built in the Orlando area. Hey, everybody has a right to their opinions but the fact is most reasonable people believe that Disney is a great asset to the area. Would the tri-county area (especially Sumter County) be better off without The Villages? Most would say TV has been an asset and a blessing to the tri-county area. Is everybody happy? Of course not, for many reasons, you always have disgruntled people who feel they didn't get their piece of the pie. But TV has provided opportunities to hundreds of local residents that would never have happen without development of TV. Now a small Grant from Sumter County is awarded to TV. Most would say---long overdue and it should be 10 times more for all TV and it's residents have done for Sumter County.

[Peachie]

....

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by jbdlfan

Maybe you should get out more.
Sorry, but locals OUTSIDE the TV resent this very much. Medical services-read the post here. Local contractors-hand picked and some are already bankrupt(yes, I know them personally)
But none of this have anything to do with tax money subsidizing fun at the square. And people around here think others have an entitlement mentality.....

Sometimes I think that people who do NOT live here jump to conclusions about all people who live here. There are some very wealthy people who do and others have saved, scrimped, done without, and made sacrifices to assure that in their retirement years they would be financially secure. It hurts me that some folks assume that all or most people who live in TV were born with a silver spoon in their mouths.

This grant issue is not as simplistic as you are making it jbdfan. The grant has not been granted. Grants are VERY hard to get.

I do say that the development of The Villages has turned Sumter county from one of the poorer counties into the one with the highest employment rate. That is a good thing.

It is UGLY to look down on people who are poor and UGLY to look down on people who have managed to live their life in such a way as to attain the privilege of living here. It is NOT a sin to be wealthy if you didn't steal to get it and worked hard to earn it and didn't throw it away when you did earn it.

Some folks who live here are arrogant and demanding and selfish, but I think they are the minority. It hurts all of us who live here to read that others are incorrectly judging all of us.

[rubicon]

Originally Posted by jbdlfan

Maybe you should get out more.
Sorry, but locals OUTSIDE the TV resent this very much. Medical services-read the post here. Local contractors-hand picked and some are already bankrupt(yes, I know them personally)
But none of this have anything to do with tax money subsidizing fun at the square. And people around here think others have an entitlement mentality.....

jbdlfan: I happen to agree with some of your talking points.
I am probably one of the few that voted against Sumter One primarily because it eliminated the checks and balances needed in government.
I abhor tourist traps believe the Town Squares are just that and so avoid them for the most part. I love to dance but won't dance in the squares.
I believe as respects the Entertaiment that it should be funded with usr fees. If you want to dance every night at the square knock yourself out but please don't ask for my hard earned money. My priorities don't including frequent dining and dancing.

I also don't ever use the rec centers, pools, etc. However I agreed to the amenitiy fees and so I will abide by my obligations.

finally there really are some very nice people who live in The Villages

[billethkid]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Some folks who live here are arrogant and demanding and selfish, but I think they are the minority. It hurts all of us who live here to read that others are incorrectly judging all of us.

Right on the button. Unfortunately as I have said about many of the discussions on various TOTV forums....most keystrokes are spent discussing the minority/isolated issues/incidents.....hence portrying an innacurate perception of what really exists for those of us in the majority of living the lifestyle with no equal.

btk