The Amenity Authority Committee on Wednesday tabled a presentation on the possible purchase of Hacienda Hills Country Club, with members indicating they want to see a price tag for the property.
Recreation Director John Rohan approached the podium to offer a conceptual presentation on possible uses for the now-shuttered country club, but was quickly shut down by AAC members.
A pencil drawing on display but never discussed, hinted at possible uses at Hacienda Hills Country Club. The drawing showed multiple pickleball courts and a large food and beverage service area.
The country club closed in April and the Developer has offered it to the AAC, for possible conversion to recreation facilities. It’s a practice that has occurred in years past at Silver Lake and Chula Vista, but a rocky $350,000 acquisition of The El Santiago Club restaurantin 2013 and its subsequent demolition to make way for the new El Santiago Recreation Center upset many residents. The AAC has been gun shy ever since, turning down a similar “opportunity” to acquire the restaurant at Tierra Del Sol.
One thing was abundantly clear at Wednesday’s AAC meeting – the Developer has no intention of making a “gift” of Hacienda Hills Country Club to the AAC, a resident-elected body overseeing amenities north of County Road 466.
The Developer is intent on selling it for full-market value or negotiating a lease/purchase of the property. No price has been suggested by the Developer.
“Until we know that, it is time we are devoting to discussion without knowing what the cost will be,” said AAC member Don Deakin.
Earlier this year, an overflow crowd of Villagers attended a meeting of the AAC, with residents making it clear they were skeptical of any purchase of Hacienda Hills Country Club.
“The community has been very, very vocal about this particular site,” AAC Chair Ann Forrester said at Wednesday’s meeting. “Our biggest job is to protect our money.”
Share your thoughts on the possible acquisition of Hacienda Hills Country Club through a letter to the editor at: https://www.villages-news.com/submit-letters-editor/
A crash shut down traffic Monday morning on Rolling Acres Road.
A vehicle hit a power point, knocking out power to nearby residents. Only one vehicle was involved in the crash which happened at about 8:30 a.m.
The Florida Highway Patrol has been called in to investigate the crash. A Duke Energy crew was at the scene replacing the power pole. Power was restored at about 11:15 a.m.
A Citizens on Patrol officer from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office was stationed at the corner of Rolling Acres Road and Lake Ella Road, denying access to the popular thoroughfare which is used as a detour around The Villages.
Any time Rolling Acres Road is shut down it becomes a major hassle for motorists, most of whom Monday morning voiced their questions, anger and frustration to the Citizens on Patrol volunteer stationed at the corner.
A crash on Jan. 17 shut down Rolling Acres Road for most of the day and saw an 80-year-old Villager airlifted to the Intensive Care Unit at Ocala Regional Medical Center.
Lady Lake officials for years have voiced concerns about Rolling Acres Road.
