Sundome developer meets with SCW officials
Recreation Centers of Sun City West and PORA officials met with developers of the former Sundome property on June 6 for an update on the property’s future.
Officials from Brown Grace 6 Investments LLC met with PORA President Bill Hansen and Recreation Centers of Sun City West General Manager Mike Whiting, President Dave Moeller and Vice President Terry Hamman to discuss the future of the property, which shares a border with the R.H. Johnson Recreation Center.
Sun City West officials learned the site will become the home of a retail shopping center. Brown Grace explained that the development is being anchored by a large grocery/general merchandise retailer whose name cannot be disclosed at this time. The anchor will be constructed by using the most current prototype building, which will offer a large variety of food and services. The center also will include other retailers, restaurants and offices.
The opening date for the center is still undetermined due to several corporate approval issues. Brown Grace 6 expects to release more specific details of the center’s design in the next four months.
It’s going to be something akin to Sam’s Club or Costco. They sell lot’s of groceries and have many different “departments”. They’re constantly updating their store models and this sounds exactly like the perfect explaination as to what’s being planed for us here. Not to my liking AT ALL, but then not much is… right? Wait and see, because there’s absolutely NOTHING anyone of us can do about it!
A sports bar/grill geared to the sensibilities and tastes of SCW residents would be a great asset going forward for the community. A simple menu of pub/grill food could complement a full service bar. Since residents typically turn in rather early, this establishment could end their operations slightly on the early side also, thereby reducing the number of patrons from outside the SCW community. Could it make money for a daring entrepreneur ? ………. I don’t know.
Please, no Walmart! We need more high end shops and restaurants. There are enough bargain places around. Let’s think, aesthetics, a beautiful environment , modern places. SCW needs to keep up with the times, and updating is long overdue. Something needs to go in that enhances the area, and protects the value of our property and quality of life!
Walmart? Really, does anyone here in SCW think the world’s largest retailer would locate a store at the Sundome location? Unless they just want a few retired people between 9AM and 5PM that would make it business suicide. Any business that would locate in that location, out of the mainstream, would be geared to people who reside here. I think you can all forget Walmart! And why would anyone want to lower the age limits here? If anythiing we need to raise it to 60 or more to keep from more traffic and bouncing basketballs all day!!
It is my understanding Del Webb gave (sold for minimum dollars) the Sun Dome property to ASU who leased it to Maricopa County for a special events venue, which didn’t work out. So, the property was returned to ASU, who has been trying to sell it for the past few years. A buyer has now been found and has come forward with a few details on how the property would be developed. The development of this property has the potential for a tremendous impact on SCW. It was reassuring to read Dave Moeller’s comments regarding the developers study and understanding of the SCW community. I’m sure the developer is doing, has done and will do, a tremendous about of research into what makes sense for SCW and the surrounding communities. As I understand the original idea Del Webb had for SCW was to include a regional shopping center and it now looks like we might be headed down that path. This could be a very positive thing for the community. Working together with the developer will provide a wealth of input as together we move forward.
As the others have said, one of our main priorities would be a great restaurant, with good food and wine, not a fast food restaurant. Remember folks, a good restaurant is not your 2 for 1 coupon eating place. Also, some free space with a walking path and flowers and trees would be nice. If this space is done right, it definitely will be supported by SCW residents.
I believe it is time for an update to Sun City West. Yes, it has great up to now and we enjoy our time here, however, think about the newer generations that are moving in. It is time to come to 21st century. Not much to choose from within the boundaries of Sun City West. I find that Bashas and Safeway are not that competetive on prices nor choices. More restuarants and fun shgopping would also be a fresh approach to updating Sun City West.
Hi Ms. Mallon, The developers who are working with ASU to purchase the Sundome are very much interested in working with and listening to the community. The Association GM, and members of both the PORA and RCSCW Boards talked with them about their plans during a recent meeting. While they can not provide any specific information to us or the public until contracts are signed, they are anxious to discuss their plans as soon as possible. I can’t speak for them, but I will say that their comments indicated to me that they want to build a project that fits our community. I came away from the meeting thinking that they had done their research and they understand SCW. I thought that the fact that they called a meeting with us to listen to our interests was a good sign. My recommendation is for us to be patient for a couple of months, let them cross the t’s and dot the i’s.
Dave Moeller
I have to agree it would be nice to see a couple of restaurant/sports bars. Although the little restaurants we have serve a purpose they do not serve all purposes. Another grocery store I feel could be supported but I also have to agree hopefully NOT a Wallmart. As far as place to sit and watch the world go bye…well perhaps part of a bar…a park would make them no money which wouldn’t make any busiiness sense at all!
Will the residents of SCW be able to protest if we aren’t happy about who is the anchor store becuase it sounds like Wal-Mart and that could mean more traffic from outsiders and more problems for our residents, which is not a good sign. When the zoning meeting comes around EVERYONE HAS TO ATTEND AND VOICE THEIR OBJECTIBES. Remember this is our community not theirs. If we aren’t happy with their choice can we change it? We need to get together and check this out.
A Walmart does not make sense – there are two of them within about 5 miles of us. What makes more sense would be a Fry’s Marketplace. While I would hate the added traffic, it would be nice to have a store that sells everything I want in one place instead of having to go to different ones for different products.
The addition of restaurants should be exciting – perhaps we will get a couple of places where we can go for dinner (after 5pm) without waiting in line for an hour and maybe enjoy a quiet interior where we can hear each other talk.
Please, not another grocery store here. There is no need for one. I hate the thought of bringing in more people from outside our community. How about some upscale specialty shops, and restaurants with organic foods served? Also, a park would be nice with lanes for walking.
What’s wrong with another grocery chain?
I feel the Safeway and Basha’s in SCW are not competitive in their pricing and take advantage of our older population who don’t like to travel. I personally drive to Surprise and use the Wal-mart and Fry’s. Much larger stores and better selection.
And let’s get a nice chain restaurant with consistent food quality.
It is too bad someone thought we needed another grocery store as the anchor spot. Please don’t let it be a Walmart (that hadn’t even crossed my mind)!!!!! A sports bar with later hours would be nice or even a small movie theater, some green space for shade and/or a place to sit to watch the world go by. Although I am sure the cost was prohibitive, too bad the RCSCW couldn’t figure out a way to use the facility at a reasonable price.
glad to see it being put to an updated use. it’s just a reminder of the old past, tired and outdated as it sits today.
Sun City should lower the age of potential homeowners to 50 and include indoor tennis courts for SSW residents in the Sundome property.
If an indoor mall is put in, please include a good inexpensive restauant.
We do not need a “large grocery/general merchandise” store. Too bad that the planners cannot think outside of the box for an anchor establishment.
Now it makes more sense why they have been putting all the unnecessary stoplights in creating a thorofare out of R H Johnson Blvd.
I’ve got news for you folks… This sounds for all the world like a Wallmart anchored center. Get ready for Wallmart retail blight setting in in SCW. They will kill all our small businesses within several miles, which is basically all of them. We have to keep an eye out for the zoning meeting to organize and stop them. They are the worst news there is for neighborhoods. Read about their business practices sometime.
Sad to hear that they have decided on a grocery store! We have enough of those in our SCW community, Basha’s Safeway, and Albertsons, Walmart and Trader Joes are all close to the community. They really need to put in a Social area for the community with Resturants, sports bars, or something like that. Instead of everyone leaving and going to Marleys, Fuzzy’s or Hurricanes, for dinner and drinks.
Just what we need is another grocery, when we have 2, plus several right outside our entrance and a trader joes. I hope everyone continues to support our long term retailers. To bad the new.guys will build something we don’t.need and likely just create.more empty space. Also, I hope we don’t draw in a lot of outsiders. That is dangerous to our older citizens and general well being. The one thing we are missing is a decent restaurant and some specialty shop like a deli, wine shop, coffee shop, and ice cream shop or upscale diner.
What a shame to bring yet another food store into SCW. Bashas’ and Safeway have served us well, Trader Joe and Sprouts, Albertson’s and Fry’s are accessible.
There’s going to be rivers of traffic that will make the current RH Johnson cut-throughs look like a trickle.
I know something has to be done with the Sundome but another foodstore?????
So glad that this space will become a welcome addition to our community. Hopefully we will support whatever business ventures are part of the development. Yes, a pub or restaurant would be great, also a quality food store. It will be exciting to see how it goes.
It would be nice to have a community pub where you can go for a drink and food which stays open later for those of us that like the night life. It will be sad to see the SunDome go as the look does fit in to the community/rec center. Maybe they could keep the structure and built around it!!
I’m hoping there will be a restaurant where one can have dinner and a drink…