A Community Development District 2 supervisor is speaking out on the possible acquisition of the Hacienda Hills Country Club by the Amenity Authority Committee.
Supervisor Bryan Lifsey will present a position paper on the controversial topic when the CDD 2 Board of Supervisors meets at 9:30 a.m. Friday, June 14 at the District Office at Lake Sumter Landing.
The Developer in April offered the Amenity Authority Committee the chance to acquire the country club, which has closed its doors. In May, the AAC heard from a packed house who vehemently opposed any purchase of the country club, which has been offered as an “opportunity” from the Developer. Many of those who spoke out said they want a restaurant at Hacienda Hills, a similar sentiment that was expressed in 2013 when the AAC purchased The Club at El Santiago for $350,000 and then demolished the building.
In his position paper, Lifsey contends the AAC has no business running a restaurant. And he says it makes no sense to convert Hacienda Hills into a recreation center when La Hacienda Recreation Center is less than a mile away.
However, Lifsey dangles one intriguing idea – convert Hacienda Hills into an indoor swimming pool.
“In the past, numerous residents have clamored for an indoor swimming pool in The Villages. The response has generally been that there is no place in The Villages (that is under District control as opposed to under Developer control) on which to build a facility to house an indoor pool,” Lifsey writes in his position paper.
He acknowledges that in 2015 there was an idea about putting a canvas cover over the La Hacienda Sports Pool, but that idea was quickly discarded when it hit the brick wall of residents’ opposition.
“With the possible availability of the Hacienda Hills CC building, a rather robust facility, perhaps there is an opportunity to convert that building into an indoor pool facility. Even better would be to convert it into a world class Indoor Aquatic Sports Facility. Such a use would easily fall under the purview of the AAC,” Lifsey said in his position paper.
AAC member Carl Bell has long been an advocate for an indoor pool. His fellow AAC members have not been as enthusiastic.
