BOD moving on?

From the board agenda seems the directors are ready to move the MV project forward with Marlene as the architect. Couple of motions on the agenda pertaining to project.

My only hope is that Plan M is still a work in progress.

 

Appears their decision is to pursue Plan M.

BOD Agenda Thursday, 12.14.23
New Business

3. Director Fast – I move that Management engage an engineer with the appropriate qualifications to perform a structural analysis of the Mountainview auditorium and fitness center building to determine if either or both can be remodeled as envisioned by Plan M or some derivation of plan M. In connection with this engagement Management should also engage Marlene Imarzine to work with the engineer to determine the feasibility of her initial design concept. It is hoped the engineers’ work can be completed and presented to the board at the January meeting.


https://suncityaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2023_12_14-Board-Meeting-Agenda-with-Attachments.pdf

 

I think Plan M is a good jumping off point, and this is a great first step (that should have been done months back). Marlene's entire premise was based on the old building being salvageable and let's be blunt, it wasn't cheap; 13 million dollars or so. What's interesting to note, that may be more costly than building new; depending on the size.

Get moving forward and start making the hard choices. The new board will be heavily involved and invested in the outcomes. Be sure to vote by Tuesday.

 

Seems there are several items of New Business on the agenda but unless they waive the second reading they must start all over again next year with the new board. (RONR 49:22)

 

Interesting points all around. And I hope they at least get to keep drawings and other possibly useful info from previous architects. The architects received a nice chunk of money for that work done on the old plan for MV. I believe somewhere in neighborhood of $350,000-$400,000. Comme ci, comme ca I guess?

 

The problem with the option 2 that was put on hold and now in the process of being cancelled was the plan was to plow everything under and rebuild on a clean site. While it sounds great, the 8 year build-out through the 3 phases was 8 years and massively expensive. I would hope anything the board and management team considers takes into account both the time lines of the project and the costs.

 

Understood. Not a fine line between cheap and expensive—rather a wide gap. But I’m still not convinced money would not be available if needed.
All stated I think the board and community are set to move forward with Plan M with a few modifications. More shall be revealed, but please not to much more!

 

Your comment begs the question Tom: What is too much? The problem with the collective process of the SAC (which i wholly endorsed) was it was too muddled with too many ideas. In fact it wasn't until Marlene entered the fray and the drilling down began. Sadly it appears as if even she was given some bad information and misdirection. It got better as it progressed, but even then the parameters were too wide in some cases and too narrow in others.

In retrospect, it looks like limiting the MV theater to the old building may have been shortsighted. We should at least have gotten the costs of a new PAC, and one that better fit our (Sun City's) needs. 13 million dollars is a lot of money for a renovation that may or may not even be able to be done. I know the Players will scream about the size, but a new PAC that holds 300 people and has adequate space for storage and practicing away from the stage and that is really comfortable and ticks off the bulk of their boxes (wish list) and that is new built sounds attractive to me. Yet, we have no idea what that would cost.

That's where i think the new 2024 board in conjunction with the new management team are positioned to start looking to take a deeper dive than the SAC. Then again, i've most often been an optimist as a opposed to a pessimist. Of course if we elect the golf cabal, we can just start dumping even more money into golf and forget all these other non-essential amenities.

 

Marlene stated couple times that the cost of new theater would be double the $13 million no matter where built. She sounded confident of this when she said it. Marlene also stated she did not anticipate any problems with the existing structure that would need extra work. Granted she said the site and structure do need more study.

How much is too expensive? I believe that question should have been answered with at least a 10 year plan giving an accurate approximation of cost vrs revenues by RCSC management. Put side by side cost of item vrs. what revenue to pay for item.

Just a side note on 10 year plan— this should have been done before $1000 and $50 fee increases were voted on. Just my opinion of course.

 

I hope the BOD doesn't just go out and hire an architect. There should be a bidding and vetting process even if it takes a couple of months.

My vision, which may be more of a pipe dream, is that RCSC will eventually build an optimal PAC at Lakeview. However, I think it is prudent to build a PAC at MV now, one that can also a used for other purposes as well. It will serve the clubs and community for several years. If a PAC can be build at Lakeview, the MV facility will still be available for practices as well as the other clubs. As I stated at the Exchange on Monday, RCSC would need to seek outside funding. There are many funding sources for such projects including the National Endowment of the Arts and the Arizona arts councils. I was told the NEA awarded the city of Rochester NY $90,000 for the construction of a PAC. Why can't RCSC or the Sun City Foundation, which is an IRS charitable entity, take advantage of this type of funding? It will take time and effort to build the relationships and set the groundwork for this possibility. Let's hope RCSC is willing to dream and pursue this.

 

I agree that outside grants be researched. It seems they did that for the golf courses. Pickleball hijacked the renovation at Marinette and we never got the dog park suggested for the water retention area. The Grand Avenue center was also steered by special interest groups. I don't believe an enclosed pickle ball facility is warranted for the high costs to build and benefits a minority of members. This sport should go with the seasons like golf, tennis, mini golf, lawn bowling etc. Do what's necessary to upgrade the PAC because so many more members will benefit year round.

Getting all our capital improvements completed is necessary at this time.

 

Hey aggie, long time no hear (or see). Hope all is well with you and the old guy.

 

One nice thing about an indoor pickleball facility is that it would decrease the need for more space to build more outdoor courts. There is money available for indoor pb structure and a renovated structure for a PAC at MV. Let’s git ir done!

 

PAC is priority.

No need to simultaneously appease pickleball advocates unless it’s a reasonable add to MV.
Otherwise, let them wait their turn.

There are far more dog owners in Sun City waiting for their climatized training facility. Well trained dogs and well trained owners benefit the whole community.

Pet ownership has exploded among the younger generations. Top notch dog facility would be an appeal to future residents.
Just sayin’!

 

As a proud Husky from Washington all I can say is woof, woof! Seriously though eyesopen, I agree with PAC as priority. First I have heard you advocate for dog training facility. At MV? Why so late in the current discussion?

 

AROO…back at you!

Best Friends Dog Club is currently at our Fairway Center. They have asked for improved facilities for years.

RCSC is finally looking for the right location and PIF approval for the BFDC Training/Social facility.

Mountain View Taj Mahal was already in great debate when BFDC received RCSC’s facility request stamp of approval.

For some, patience is a virtue.

https://www.bestfriendsdogclub.org/

https://suncityaz.org/recreation/clubs/best-friends-dog-club/

 

Best Friends dog club lobbied long and hard (once Fairway was reopened and their grassy area was moved from the west side of the building to the east side) for a covered area. The fear of providing shading was they would destroy the grass. It took years to finally provide limited shading. It was more of late, 2021 if memory serves me, when club owners showed up en masse and started pushing for an indoor arena. The board, hungry to stay in power, pushed them off on the long range PIF budget with no real plan to make it happen. It's what they always did to shut members up.

 

The status of a BFDC Training/Social facility is on the Exchange Topic List under Short Term, near the bottom.
Exchange Meeting 12.4.23 Topic List
https://suncityaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Exchange-Topic-Actions-for-12-4-23-Meeting.pdf

 

Tom T, Is there really money for both a PAC and indoor pickleball court? What about the other amenities at MV such as refurbishing the pool, new fitness center, minigolf, etc? Plus how are we going to fund the golf course water restrictions if we spend every dime we have at MV? Sorry, I just can't see that we can afford both at this moment.

 

More will be revealed as process continues. Plan M is a work in progress and more give and take sure to be part of the planning. 10-15 year financial analysis needed to better grasp the situation.