One of the first Florida retirement communities, Sun City Center is an active adult (55 and over) community located between Tampa and Sarasota along the I-75 corridor.
Sun City Center, originally developed by Del Webb as a clone of its successful Sun City retirement communities in Arizona and California, first opened its doors in 1962. Since that time, the development has changed hands many times, and the size and scope of the community has been expanded from the original vision of 5,000 homes.
Golf carts may be operated on all public streets within the Sun City Center community subject to certain constraints. Golf carts may be used only between the hours of sunrise and sunset and never at night, even if the cart is equipped with lights.
There are cart paths leading to medical facilities, including South Bay Hospital (Note: South Bay Hospital will soon be moving about eight miles away from its current location and will no longer be accessible by golf cart once it completes its move), restaurants and shopping centers, even Wal-Mart. This is a huge draw for residents. Being able to drive your golf cart to the grocery store, the post office, to dinner, even the hospital (for now).
One of the biggest draws of Sun City Center is the many amenities available to the residents. From the many golf courses, recreational facilities, restaurants, movie theaters, shopping and other lifestyle options, there’s always something to do in Sun City Center.
Sun City Center has no local government per se. A volunteer Community Association oversees the recreation facilities and governs the community. The elected Board of Directors has full power and authority over the affairs of the Association subject to the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws.
Sun City Center is made up of many smaller “communities” within the community and most of these have their own homeowner’s associations with its own rules regarding standards for maintaining your property, making changes to your home, architectural and landscaping standards your property must adhere to, and the maintenance of common areas. When buying a home in Sun City Center you need to make sure you get a copy of the covenants and restrictions for the particular HOA the home you’re looking at is located in.
Sun City Center Golf
There are 162 holes of golf to be played in Sun City Center. Yes, you read that right…162! These are spread out over eight courses.
Each course has its own distinct style, so it will take you a while to get bored with all the courses available to you.
The courses you are eligible to become a member of depends on which part of Sun City Center you live in. Initiation fees range from $3,000 to $6,000 and annual dues range from about $850 to over $1500. The course dues and initiation fees vary and change so much, it’d be an exercise in futility to put them here. So check the links I’ve provided in the book for the most current information.
Since many of the residents of Sun City Center own their own golf carts, the courses charge “trail fees” to us a personal cart on the course. These fees range from about $500 to over $900 depending on which club you join.
Some clubs have reciprocity at others in the community. For example, if you join Club Renaissance, your privileges also include Sandpiper (27-holes) North Lakes (the first course built in Sun City Center…18-holes) and Caloosa Greens (18 hole executive). You may also have privileges to play at other WCI golf clubs throughout Florida.
Cathy says
Are 60 lb dogs allowed in sun city?
Bev says
Are there rental homes in Sun City?
William Harmes says
1. Are there public beaches accessible from Sun City Tampa? How far away are they?
2. What are the limitations on visitations for adult children and grandchildren at Sun City Tampa?
3. Are there any restictions for living in Sun City for only a part of the year?
4. What is the summer weather like?
Dean Schell says
Is there a website that lists properties (homes, condos,etc.) for sale in Sun City? If so what is it? Are there nearby lakes with sailing clubs that have races for Sunfish or Laser sailboats? Are there conservation culbs, gun clubs, or shooting ranges nearby that have target, skeet, or trap facilities for handgun, rifle, and shotgun?
John Bowker says
There is no plan at this time to move the local hospital away from Sun City Center. A plan approved a year or so ago was found faulty by the AHCA — that’s the state organization that must approve any such move. In fact, another hospital has been approved to take its place at the more distant site mentioned in the article. It will all be ironed out later this year.
Almost everyone in Sun City Center, Florida owns their own house and the property around it. There are some condos here too for those who don’t want the burden of taking care of everything.
There is a $252 per year fee charged to every resident and that money covers all costs of owning some 26 specified club rooms, plus meeting rooms, athletic fields, three pools and a library.
All streets in town are county owned and maintained and it is the county that permits our use of golf carts on all the streets right along with automobiles and other vehicles.
There has been no weather-related problem here since Christmas Day 1989; the temperature here never got as high as freezing that day. There has not been another example of that in the 47 years of our existence. In 2008 there was not a single moment of temperatures as low as 32 degrees; there has never been a sustained wind here of 74 mph or higher. That means there has never been a hurricane pass through Sun City Center.
/ John Bowker
Joan Seskin says
I don’t golf. I am sure non-golfer retirees live in Sun City, AZ as well as Calif. What does it cost to live at Florida Sun City? Are they rental homes or homes forsale? Are automobiles allowed as well as golf carts? How has Sun City Florida weathered the recent bad weather that came thru? I definatley need info. Thanks.