[OhioBuckeye]

I agree with all or most of the comments. But we all know TV are going to make money the way they think they can make money. I think most people & like me when I came to TV I was fascinated with everything there was to do, didn’t know anything about some of the things that closed down. So I think the Morse’s or TV Board that’s made millions of dollars or maybe billions of dollars know more about what makes money & what doesn’t! So just relax & go with flow because nobody is held prisoner in TV.

[stebooo]

Me too The problem was that people went there and just didn't spend enough money or sold the developer reports. I'm not so sure that I doubt that that's true. Sure do miss it and now of course hacienda aloha hacienda might have been great way back in its day but in recent decades it was very outdated poor service bad owners. Not that any of that means it should have been torn down it just was very ill-managed. Now of course we know the real reason why it went to Helena handbasket as we wait to see the new development being made

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by justjim

I miss the “Old Katie Belles”. When we had guests we always went there for a meal and the entertainment. Katie Belles was for residents and their guests only. It was important to have a place like that in The Villages IMHO. Yes, it needed some fresh paint and makeover but the concept was “right on”. Many people I know felt it was a special place for just us, the residents, of The Villages. Unfortunately it’s gone and like a fast moving stream the flow that passes by will never pass again. I usually embrace change but not this one.

I don't miss it at all. The food was mediocre at best and as far as being for residents and guests only, that must have been a joke. I was never asked to show my ID. It was open to anyone that had money.

[Topspinmo]

I miss La Hacienda tennis courts. But, beings I don’t own it I have no say so. I imagine KB’s was loosing money or breaking even at best. Now, if I owned business loosing or breaking even leaves bad taste in my mouth. Time for chain.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by Bucco

Katie Belles had a problem.

So many coming, one or two drinks, and sit all night watching the performers.

Economically, a restaurant cannot survive like that

The individual profit center of Katie Belles might NOT make a profit, but since the residents liked it and took guests there and had a GOOD time, it had PR value. If that brought in NEW residents to buy into TV Land, then it had value to the Developers. Maybe they should have considered KB a "loss leader" and made the profits up in larger sales. How can anyone put a price on how much sales business was LOST by NOT having a Katie Belles? Think about it? I would guess that nearby restaurants put pressure on the developers to LOSE KB! Lots of good ideas go by the wayside due to shortsightedness. US businesses typically pick short-term profits over long-term goals.

[Big O]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

I don't miss it at all. The food was mediocre at best and as far as being for residents and guests only, that must have been a joke. I was never asked to show my ID. It was open to anyone that had money.

How quickly we forget. Moved here on 2013 and all we heard was how bad the food was as was the service. It was too crowded. It was too noisy. Funny how now that it's closed we forget all that.

[JSR22]

I thought the downstairs Katie Belle's was awful. I was never asked for a Village ID when I went to KB or the Cattle Baron. I nver felt it was clean especially the restrooms.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by jimjamuser

The individual profit center of Katie Belles might NOT make a profit, but since the residents liked it and took guests there and had a GOOD time, it had PR value. If that brought in NEW residents to buy into TV Land, then it had value to the Developers. Maybe they should have considered KB a "loss leader" and made the profits up in larger sales. How can anyone put a price on how much sales business was LOST by NOT having a Katie Belles? Think about it? I would guess that nearby restaurants put pressure on the developers to LOSE KB! Lots of good ideas go by the wayside due to shortsightedness. US businesses typically pick short-term profits over long-term goals.

I do not think the developers would have closed KB due to pressure from nearby restaurants. Appears it is their way or the highway.

[manaboutown]

My feeling is that it was put there and maintained as a sales tool regardless of profit or the lack thereof. As the new development had moved so far south KB's was not all that convenient to those buying new homes, the developer's target market. Also it may not have been appealing to the younger demographic as it was to old geezers like me, I don't really know.

The Cattleman restaurant was mediocre at best, but it and the drinks were cheap. I remember picking up my first mug of beer and expecting a heavy glass mug, almost throwing the beer into my face as the lightweight plastic mug surprised me. KB's had a road house feel to it I enjoyed immensely.

[bpascani]

you and me!! We came here on LifeStyle a few years before we rented for a year, to take our time buying. Our 1st guests we took to Katie B, not realizing it had changed. It was horrible. I wish the original one would come back. Everyone.....guests and staff, seemed to love it!

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by rustyp

Approach ? Who ? How ? Anyone remember when we were sent the resident's survey from the developers once per year and the results were actually tallied up and published ? Didn't that turn into a suggestion box at the mail stations run by residents not the developer. Did I not just read those suggestions boxes have now been removed ? Slowly I turn, inch by inch, step by step.

I wondered myself what happened to the resident surveys.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by OhioBuckeye

I agree with all or most of the comments. But we all know TV are going to make money the way they think they can make money. I think most people & like me when I came to TV I was fascinated with everything there was to do, didn’t know anything about some of the things that closed down. So I think the Morse’s or TV Board that’s made millions of dollars or maybe billions of dollars know more about what makes money & what doesn’t! So just relax & go with flow because nobody is held prisoner in TV.

Nothing wrong with some constructive criticism for the powers that be in TV Land - TV Land is nice, but it is far from perfect. We vote with our dollars for the better parts of the experience. Dollar totals can not be completely ignored.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

I don't miss it at all. The food was mediocre at best and as far as being for residents and guests only, that must have been a joke. I was never asked to show my ID. It was open to anyone that had money.

I liked Katie Belles and I remember showing my ID card every time. That's why the line backed up.

[rustyp]

Redirection - the real issue is we old timers were sold KB's as if it were an amenity. They gave you KB dollars as part of the lifestyle visit. One of the first stops by the salesperson was "residents only private club with free entertainment". They proudly disclosed The Villages founder Harold Schwartz named the club after his mother. That and the OB waterfalls pool were the flagships every salesperson was armed with. And for the ones that are going to say next that was not in writing, I ask you do you have anything in your deed that says you will have "free" executive golf for life ?

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by bpascani

you and me!! We came here on LifeStyle a few years before we rented for a year, to take our time buying. Our 1st guests we took to Katie B, not realizing it had changed. It was horrible. I wish the original one would come back. Everyone.....guests and staff, seemed to love it!

Everyone that I knew seemed to love it. They had cheap drinks. I did NOT go there for the food! Last I heard, restaurants make most of their profits on the drinks, not the food.