Does anyone here understand cause and effect? I'm sure a good number of you do...it's pretty simplistic; the things we do will ultimately have a predictable impact on other things. All too often though we don't look down the road to understand those pending outcomes based on what we are doing today. As we were discussing the long term future (next 10 to 20 years out), we were trying to anticipate what the RCSC would need the increase to the PIF for. I made a statement about golf courses done being renovated, which triggered an entirely different thought. We already are aware of the struggles the 3 private country clubs in Sun City have faced. All have tried to make adjustments: 1 being sold, 1 trying to renovate and shot down and 1 rife with rumors it is on the market. Now picture the RCSC spending 30 million dollars and their courses, including better outdoor areas, impressive water distribution and far better playability. Simply put, the private courses already struggling, trying to compete against those odds. Long term it is a recipe for disaster. The cause (remodeling our courses) only accelerates the effect (that which results from the cause) of their limited existence. Bigger yet is the impact of Hovnanian homes building here. If they sell out in a year or two, imagine what happens to land values? Skyrocket would be an understatement. The problem of course is all of the people owning homes bordering those private courses would be up in arms if a land developer would be it. I'm not for one minute suggesting I have a solution (though they are out there), but as I have always said: Sun City is a sum total of it's parts (and I mean all of its parts). It's just one more argument why we need a true long tem planning committee to study and understand the future we all will be facing.
Not at all E. What I am saying is for the long term, these courses will be up against it because in part the lack of interest by boomers to join private clubs, and, as we reinvest 5 to 6 million dollars per course, theirs will become outdated and non-competitive. Just one more argument we recreate a true long range planning committee to begin the process of structuring for the distant future. Ultimately things will happen and I've always been a proponent of helping shape them rather than just letting fate take it's course.
