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6 | SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | FEBRUARY 2023 | We are constantly getting reports of the losses in our Food and Beverage Department and our Golf operation. No one seems to be bothered by the losses in our other facilities. The swimming pools the tennis courts, the pickleball courts, Billiards Room all cost us a lot each month and not a word is said. It is apparent since the Food and Beverage and Golf Operations are revenue generating entities, they are fair game. From the beginning, the entities were always thought to be amenities just as all of the other amenities are considered. If you wanted to participate you did; if it was not your idea of fun, you did not consider it. The only difference was the expense involved. The facilities were different and cost extra funds, but they were still there to enjoy. A while back, we had a third of our population who played golf. Our golf groups had large memberships, there were tournaments galore, and our courses were full most days. We had to make reservations to have lunch or dinner. When you tried to make a reservation for a large group, you had to plan months in advance. That is not the case today. Our golfing community measures about 10 percent. You can walk in almost any day for lunch or dinner without a reservation, that is, on the days when we are open. It is obvious that our costs are higher than others for our Food and Beverage Department since we are not able to spread our major expenses over a number of locations. They are allocated to our one location, such as, the expense of a Director, an Executive Chef and other overhead items. From time to time members will complain about the prices. Sun Lakes is the least expensive of the private clubs operating today. We dare you to compare prices with our neighboring restaurants. And the quality of food is far better here. Many of our members want Sun Lakes to allow "Social Memberships." This means we would allow outside play on our courses and then allow use of our dining facilities for a fee. The questions are: how much do you want as income and how much do you charge the players to attain the income needed to make your figure? That number will tell you how many people you will allow to use our facilities. We would no longer be a private club and enjoy the status that it brings with it. There is also a suggestion made that we charge each month a certain amount for Food and Beverage and if you frequent the restaurants and spend that amount or more you do not pay the fee. Many have said I don't want that to happen; I don't use the restaurants and don't want to pay for them. DO YOU REALIZE YOU PAY A CERTAIN AMOUNT EACH MONTH IN YOUR ASSESSMENT FOR THE "LOSSES" ON THESE ENTITIES? Most private clubs here and in the desert have included in their monthly assessment $50 to $400 for their Food and Beverage operation. Their annual golf fee is from $10,000 to $100,000 annually. We have been able to keep our fees at a reasonable level since we opened in 1987. So what is the answer? MORE PARTICIPATION! We need more golfers and more members using our Restaurant and the Sandwedge. Perhaps our Marketing Advisory Committee should develop a program urging our members to use our facilities and offering incentives to do so. ~ Joe Formino, Chairman, District Delegate Assembly DISTRICT DELEGATE ASSEMBLY REPORT More Participation Will Offset Costs

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