Advisory Panel Opinions on Mountain View Renovation Project

Nine of our Advisory Panel members share their comments on the proposed Mountain View renovation project below.

We want this to be a great conversation starter. Please feel free to leave your Comments at the end of the article.

#1: 

• It’s not that I'm against the Mountain View project as a whole because it is old, it's just that I don't really have any interest in it because I figure by the time it's completed, I'll be pushing up the daisies! 

• I don't necessarily like the fact that they have no idea what outdoor recreational facilities in Phase 3 will look like!

• I don't like the current cost let alone what it will end up to be under the current inflation.

• I don't think the theater should be included in a recreation center. I believe it should be a stand-alone building.

#2:

• Skyrocketing cost. 

• It is going to overwhelm that neighborhood.

• The "footprint" needs to be AT LEAST double what it is.

• Placing a theater directly next door to a gym is insanity.

• Environmentally, it is going to be a horrible loss not to reuse and repurpose what is there. 

#3:

• I’m opposed to moving forward with MV unless:

o A new cost projection in made utilizing a more realistic inflation rate.

o All information be made public, including

o the cost projection

o all the backroom deals with regard to sport courts

o all plans/ideas/concepts/studies ever done for alternate theater locations.

 

#4:

• I don’t think bulldozing and building everything brand new is the smartest route; just a remodel of the buildings and adding on would be the smartest thing to do.

• There is a large area of space to the south that currently has a covered patio with a barbecue pit and some picnic tables. That area is never used. 

• It would make more sense to add an addition to the existing building and make that into a state-of-the-art fitness facility with a dedicated group exercise studio and room for yoga or aerobic classes of a spin studio.

• Currently, there is a large amount of room on the pool deck area where a sports pool and an outdoor spa/Jacuzzi could be added.

• I would add 8 more Pickleball Courts utilizing the space where the two tennis courts are.

• I would build a gymnasium in the space where the auditorium is. The gym would have two full-size basketball courts and be designated as a multipurpose facility for basketball, volleyball, pickleball, and badminton.

• There is a new laser light device that could be installed in the ceiling that projects lines on the floor for whichever sport you’re playing.

• With that design, that would give 15 outdoor Pickleball Courts and an additional eight indoor Pickleball courts. 

• Then Mountain View could be used to host Pickleball tournaments well there is plenty of parking, plenty of bathrooms, and good viewing for spectators.

• My vision is that the entire area is designated as a recreation center and the theater is built in an entirely different location.  

#5:

• I am not in favor of moving ahead with Mountain View as is planned in Phase 1 and Phase 2.

• I think planning is old.

• Utilization studies were not used to determine the correct amenities.

• Copycat features of a nearby rec center are a bad idea as we are needing to create for the future. 

• I don't understand lack of club space, meeting space, etc.

• All that we've learned about technology, security, disabilities, etc. are not represented in the plans.

• We are repeating the past - not planning and building a future that will appease new Sin Citians.

#6

• That plan, in my opinion, is a win-win-win for everyone. And, it can probably be accomplished much more economically. 

• The costs will explode, though, and everything will grind to a halt waiting for materials.

• The theater has been in the works for 20 years. It has some serious faults that I suspect once the actual costs come in will be worked out.

• The gym is another discussion that is likely foolishness. We have no way to prove it.

#7

• The Board has relentlessly pushed for the renovation now regardless of the fact that we are experiencing the worst inflation rate in 40 years which has raised the prices for steel, lumber, and other supply chain items to an all-time high and caused many a delay.

• The proposed $39,677,403 million dollar figure for Phases I, II, and III (spread out over a 10-year period) at Mountain View will skyrocket.

• The theater is much needed and has been promised for a very long time.

• More utilization studies need to be done to make sure it’s designed for ALL performing, art-type clubs in Sun City, not just the players. (Choral groups, bands, handbell ringers, to name a few.)

• Plan not just for Mountain View but for the upcoming Lakeview renovation. Could planning for both at the same time equal better results at a lower cost and please more members?

#8:

• I prefer a stand-alone performing arts center that could potentially have some additional uses. I'm not convinced the uses are compatible as designed.

• Are there other ideas for facility improvements in the Long Range Plan that may result in a more desirable outcome for MV? 

• Is there another facility where a gymnasium could be added? It would save space at MV and address the concerns of incompatibility of a gymnasium and PAC. 

• Some analysts are projecting building costs may get back closer to pre-pandemic levels in 2023 as supply chains stabilize. While there is no crystal ball, is it prudent to proceed?

#9:

• I support an overdue remodel of Mt. View.

• However, I think the existing plans are extravagant and not aligned with what the Members of that area requested. 

• The Master Plan is shortsighted on how much can be built on that property, necessary parking required, traffic impact, and the expense. 

• Right-size this project, then, Go For It!