Commission Approval Paves Way for Large Office Development and Hotel in Sumter County, Fla.

BUSHNELL, Fla. -- A major commercial center was unanimously approved by the Sumter County Commission, paving the way for the Tri-County Villages to add 1 million square feet office space and a 300-bed hotel.

It was also revealed Tuesday that Villages developer Gary Morse is planning a movie theater and a performing arts center in Sumter County south of County Road 466, and could include a 300-bed hospital, if desired.

The plans were revealed in Development Regional Impact study, called a DRI, at Tuesday evening's regularly scheduled Sumter County Commission meeting.

The change in that DRI was filed by the Tri-County Villages in connection with a planned commercial center north of County Road 466. The Tri-County Villages is all acreage in Lake and Sumter counties north of CR 466.

The Villages requested the change, asking to add a 300-bed hotel, 87,000 square feet of office space and 715,000 square feet of commercial space, bringing the total to more than 1 million square feet of prime real estate.

The property is located east of U.S. 301, between CR 103 and CR 101, across the street from the charter schools.

"Will this be a mall?" asked Sumter Commissioner Jim Roberts.

"I don't know," said Jack Sullivan, a planning consultant hired by The Villages. "It will be major retail space that will serve a large portion of Sumter County as well as south Marion."

The change in the DRI was unanimously approved last week by the Withlacoochee Regional Planning Council. On Tuesday, the Sumter County Commission gave final approval for the commercial center.

Now The Villages can begin developing the core commercial acreage, located north of County Road 466 and about five miles east of a planned Interstate 75 interchange.

Villages officials say the initial stage of the large commercial district is located just north of the new Lake-Sumter Landing at Market Square and across from the charter schools.

But that change in the DRI also gave insight into The Villages commercial development plans in the next six years.

The analysis shows that most of the new development will be in the Villages of Sumter, including a 40,000-square-foot convention/performing arts center.

Villages of Sumter is land south of County Road 466, north of State Road 44 and east of U.S. 301, said Gary Moyer, The Villages vice president of development.

The study also revealed that The Villages anticipate building 5.2 million square feet of commercial floor space. The document states 3.2 million square feet will be in Villages of Sumter, 1.7 million in the Tri-County Villages and 236,000 in Villages of Marion.

The Tri-County Villages is land north of CR 466 in Lake and Sumter counties. Moyer said the 1 million square feet discussed is part of the unbuilt commercial space north of CR 466.

The study also reveals that 780 motel rooms are planned -- 380 in the Tri-County Villages and 400 in Villages of Sumter. Two hospitals, another 280 beds in the Tri-County Villages and a 300-bed hospital in Villages of Sumter are included in the plans but this summer, hospital officials said plans have been dropped to build an additional hospital.

The development analysis also shows that Morse is planning 23,400 square feet of medical office space, 351 golf holes, three more recreation centers and a 16-screen movie theater.

The study also shows that between June 1972 and August of this year that 17,392 of the 23,489 built homes -- or 74 percent -- are considered affordable housing units by government deadlines.

The DRI also revealed road improvements on 24 main roads through the end of the project. The last phase of the project is scheduled to begin in 2010.

Representatives of the Florida Department of Transportation, the Ocala/Marion Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Marion County planning department have raised concerns in recent months about traffic problems on U.S. 441/27, U.S. 301 and CR 466.

The planned commercial district will eventually be the center of the sprawling community on 13,000 acres in Lake, Sumter and Marion counties.

"It will be the entranceway to the western portion of The Villages," Sullivan said at Tuesday's meeting.

Just the new business development on 157 acres north of CR 466 is expected to create 1,349 jobs and a payroll of an estimated $25 million.

The Villages is not the only development with big plans for the area.

County commissioners this year approved plans for developer Leo Steinmetz for a Hampton Inn on CR 466. He also plans an over-55 community of 120 townhouses, 70 to 80 condominiums and commercial developments, such as restaurants.

The Steinmetz development is next to the Glenn Hollow Farms gated community