SUN CITY

During the late 1950s, the idea of a city designed exclusively for "active retirement" was not widely accepted by psychologists, geriatric specialists, or consultants specializing in the development of new communities. The general feeling was that one could not successfully separate the elderly from their families. Tom Breen, a Del Webb vice president who was the guiding force behind the development of Sun City, Arizona, disagreed and decided to seek the opinions of people who would be potential residents of such a community. The survey was conducted in Florida, a logical place to look for a concentration of elderly. It revealed that while people loved their families and adored their grandchildren, they were not averse to the idea of establishing an independent lifestyle in a new location. Since Florida was notorious for land scams that included selling underwater lots adjacent to nonexistent golf courses, a primary complaint among the elderly was broken promises. Breen was convinced that Del Webb was a company that could deliver a complete and functioning town and expressed his opinion in a memo to corporate headquarters outlining the importance of activity, economy, and individuality for an adult/retirement community. According to Breen, the recreation center and golf course would provide the activity, and it would be economical since the resources would be owned and used by everyone. Breen's idea of individuality was that the Webb Corporation would step away from management and would allow residents to manage their own facilities.

The Webb Corporation was determined not to break any promises and declared that there would be no "site of the future" signs on their property. The golf course, recreation center, and public buildings had to be in place and the shopping center ready for customers before even one house could be sold. Shops, a golf course, swimming pool, shuffleboard, and other amenities were available, and five carefully appointed model homes were finished before opening day.

The first Sun City development began 1 January 1960 on a 10,000-acre parcel of land located a few miles west of Phoenix, Arizona. Marketing its homes to only approximately 20 percent of the potential housing market (those fifty-five years of age or older), corporate officials were hoping to attract 10,000 visitors during the three-day New Year's Day weekend. To their surprise, the response was overwhelming, with 100,000 potential customers visiting the site. Apparently the time was right for a community that provided affordable housing with varied amenities. The idea or concept promoted by Webb and his staff was a community based on lifestyle rather than location. Sun City soon became one of the most famous retirement communities in the United States. It was particularly appealing to relatively young retirees because it provided a traditional community that included home ownership, independence, and a lifestyle geared to leisure living.

Building on Success

Apparently the Del Webb Corporation succeeded in carrying out its mission of developing high-quality communities and neighborhoods that are conducive to an active and enriching lifestyle for its customers. Since 1960, Del Webb has sold almost 80,000 homes in the active adult market, most under the famed Sun City brand. The corporation has expanded tremendously and now operates ten master-planned communities in nine markets, including Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona; Las Vegas, Nevada; Palm Desert and Lincoln, California; Hilton Head, South Carolina; Georgetown, Texas; Ocala, Florida; and Chicago, Illinois. In July 2001, Del Webb Corporation merged with Pulte Homes, Inc. The combined companies have become the nation's largest homebuilder, stressing customer satisfaction backed by decades of providing quality homes and lifestyle amenities.

Sun City developers spend a great deal of time and effort on the internal layout and design of their communities. The design provides an inclusive community with a wall, although they are not gated. Even though most of the streets are public, there are security patrols and neighborhood watch programs to help prevent crime. Another important feature of the internal design is the integration of recreation centers into Sun City communities. During the early stages of Sun City growth, the use of recreational facilities created a neighborhood problem. The first complex was designed for a given number of residents. As additional homes were built, a new recreational facility was provided to service the residents of the newly developed area. Soon a kind of exclusivity began to occur, and some residents denied one another access unless they "belonged" to a facility. Joining all the centers together throughout the community under one organization and upgrading some of the older facilities solved the problem. The profusion of recreational possibilities open to all residents was a major selling point for the development. In addition to being extremely popular for sports activities, recreation centers serve as the "town hall" and the social hub of activity. The result has been a great deal of social interaction among residents of Sun City communities centered primarily around the recreation centers.

Sun City residents tend to have a large disposable income, a high sense of pride, a strong sense of patriotism, and a love of their community. They tend to be very active and interested citizens, and it is not surprising that the voter turnout rate and community involvement are very high. Community involvement is a bit unique at Sun City since all residents are fifty-five years of age or older and there are no schools. Important issues at Sun City include maintaining a wide variety of leisure activities, participating in neighborhood watch and crime prevention programs, and promoting and maintaining the aesthetic appeal of the community.

Sun City developments are not assisted living communities, but there are assistance clubs for those who are not as active or need limited assistance. Those requiring nursing homes usually sell their homes and move to places offering more extensive health care.

While the aging process may hamper leisure living to a certain extent, it is not detrimental to the ideal of leisure activity during retirement. In fact, an active retirement is often a healthy retirement, a concept that has been at the forefront of Sun City and its appeal to a retirement population.

See also: Senior Leisure Lifestyles

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Del Webb Corporation. Home page at http://www.delwebb.com.

Findley, John. Magic Lands: Western Cityscapes and American Culture Since 1940. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1992.

Finnerty, Margaret, Tara Blanc, and Jessica McCann. Del Webb: A Man. A Company. Phoenix, Ariz.: Heritage Publishers, 1991.

Patrick, Shawn. National Director of Public Relations, Pulte Homes, Inc. Personal interview, May 2003.

Stroud, Hubert B., and William Spikowski. "Planning in the Wake of Florida Land Scams." Journal of Planning Education and Research 19 (1999): 27–39.

Hubert B. Stroud