WCI Communities Inc. Announces First Sun City Center in Four Decades Launched in Fort Myers, Florida

Business Wire, June 8, 2001

Business, News & Lifestyle Editors/Real Estate Writers

FORT MYERS, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 8, 2001

New Innovative Designs and Features Will Meet

The Lifestyle Aspirations of a New Breed Of Consumer

Who says there's nothing new under the sun? After decades of a massive migration of retirees to Florida's sunny weather, the first Sun City Center community in nearly 40 years broke ground on June 8.

That's right. After 40 years of building at Sun City Center near Tampa, WCI Communities Inc. has begun construction of the nation's newest Sun City Center. The 1,100-acre active adult community in Fort Myers promises a huge flock of Baby Boomers an unmatched lifestyle in the nation's most popular resort destination.

Sun City Center Fort Myers' $30 million of indoor and outdoor amenities will include a Mediterranean-influenced Town Center complete with a cyber cafe, business center, health club with indoor pool, sports-oriented dining, softball, amphitheater, art studio, volleyball, walking trails, and of course, golf.

Borrowing from a well-known automobile commercial, "this isn't your father's retirement community." Things have changed dramatically during the last 40 years and nowhere are those changes more pronounced than in the design of today's lifestyle communities. Gone are the shuffleboard courts and other sedentary pursuits, replaced by more health and fitness options and individual pursuits that reflect the desires of today's Baby Boomer's and vacation homebuyers. According to WCI Communities President Jerry Starkey, a new breed of communities is being designed to suit a new breed of consumers.

"More than one-third of the people we surveyed in the northeast and Midwest say they are considering the purchase of a vacation or active adult home. And 70% of those people said Florida was their number one choice," Starkey said. "We listened to the aspirations of this new active group of people and included all the technology, fitness and recreation elements to help them live the lifestyle of today."

Sun City Center Fort Myers introduces a new type of lifestyle to Florida homebuyers, one that deliver incredible value. Probably best known for its golf and water-oriented country club communities throughout Florida, WCI has brought its high quality, country club feel to its Sun City brand. "We've created a community unlike any other in Florida appealing to the new generation of 50-plus active adults," he said. We've incorporated features into this community that are normally only found in communities with homes costing hundreds of thousands more. I believe our customers will readily see the extraordinary care and our attention to details in creating a resort lifestyle that is unmatched in southwest Florida," Starkey added.

The community will also incorporate a strong environmental commitment to its design. "Florida is an incredibly beautiful state and we'll do everything we can to protect and promote the ecosystem so that everyone can continue to enjoy the lush vegetation and wildlife that call this area home," said Starkey. WCI is partnering with Audubon International to design Sun City Center Fort Myers as an Ecologically Designed Community.

"More than ever, these customers are telling us they want choice and convenience," Starkey said. In response, WCI is building an array of homes at Sun City Center Fort Myers, from "lock and leave" condos to elegant single-family homes where lawn maintenance is provided by the community association, leaving even more time to enjoy life within the community. Sales have already begun and the first residents are expected to move in before the end of the year.

"Residents of Sun City Center Fort Myers will feel as though they're on vacation every day," said Steve Erick, WCI's director of sales for the community. "The lifestyle we are providing has been tailored to the aspirations of the Boomer generation."

Sun City Center Fort Myers offers six neighborhoods with condominiums, cottages, carriage homes, villas and exclusive single-family executive and estate homes. Homes within the community are priced from $140,990 to $386,990.

For more than 50 years WCI has been creating amenity-rich, leisure-oriented master-planned communities that serve affluent homebuyers in Florida.

Based in Bonita Springs on Florida's southwest coast, WCI is a privately held company with 30 communities located in many of Florida's coastal markets. WCI builds most of the homes sold in its award-winning communities that currently feature 468 holes of golf, more than 1,000 boat slips at five deep-water marinas, and various country club, tennis and recreational facilities and several luxury hotels. The company's land holdings include approximately 16,000 acres planned for as many as 28,000 residences.

WCI's homebuilding operations serve primarily second move-up, active adult and second-home buyers. In addition to traditional single and multi-family homes, WCI further distinguishes itself by building luxury high-rise residences that are price up to $10 million. It also derives income from amenity operations such as golf, restaurants and marinas as well as ancillary businesses including Prudential Florida WCI Realty, mortgage, title and property management services.