Lakewood Ranch, Florida

Introduction

Lakewood Ranch is an 8,500-acre master-planned community located near Bradenton-Sarasota on Florida’s Gulf Coast. It is an up-and-coming family-oriented community, that is soon to obtain its own zip code. It consists of seven villages, including townhomes, custom estates, and condominium units. The most recognizable feature about Lakewood Ranch is its award-winning green community, elected as the largest green-certified community in the United States. Some other features about this neighborhood include recreation, shopping and dining, events and festivals, health and fitness, arts and culture, schools and colleges, employment, and even worship.

History of Lakewood Ranch

Lakewood Ranch is located within the Manatee County region in Florida. It was discovered in the mid-1600s by the great Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto along with his crew of conquistadors. Other explorers like Josiah Gates landed on the area as well, but it was later unofficially founded in 1855. Manatee County stretches over 5,000 square miles including waterways, which provided an exceptional source of transportation. Railroads, bridges, and roadways were eventually added for an easier access in and out of the area.

Along with transportation development came a rapid growth in population during the early 1920s. The area was seen by others as a vacation destination and retirement place. Also, with the warm southern climate as an asset, baseball became a popular sport there, along with spring training camps and professional teams would travel down there. A few years later, after the Great Depression in the 1930s and World War II, other industries expanded, such as agriculture and fishing. Other developments in the industries were retail, education, and tourism. As the area expanded over the years, along with the population, a master-planned community was recently created called Lakewood Ranch.

Outline

I. Recreation

Being outdoors is a top priority for Florida residents. This is why Lakewood Ranch has dedicated half of its land for parks, trails, and recreational fun. The trails alone stretch over 150 miles of the land. Along with parks and trails that make up most of the land, Lakewood Ranch has also put great importance on golf and tennis. Golf is not just a game, but thought to be more of a passion to a player. Lakewood Ranch has a competitive advantage to golf clubs around the country because it is able to be pursued year-round and offers an array of different courses all over.

B. Golf and Tennis (Legacy, Concessions, Arnold Palmer; 18 tennis courts) C. Athletic Center D. Polo and Cricket (9 of the best fields in the world)

II. Shopping and Dining

Main Street is the local downtown shopping, dining, and events center. It offer amenities like:

A. Clothing (retail) B. Food (grocery, wine, and spirits) C. Restaurants (coffee shops, ice cream parlors, family-style, international cuisine)

III. Health and Fitness

A. YMCA B. Lakewood Ranch Athletic Center C. Medical Center

IV. Arts and Culture

A. Music on Main B. Evening Under the Stars C. Suncoast Wine Festival D. Art at the Ranch

Events and Festivals A. Main Street (Art/Indy Theater) B. Christmas Season (huge tree, fake snow from rooftops)

V. Schools and Colleges (primary reason families live there)

A. Seven public schools, Imagine Charter School, Out-of-Door Academy and Pinnacle Academy private schools B. College Keiser University

VI. Employment

A. 1,200 businesses around the ranch B. Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club (import workers from South Africa to create job opportunities) In an effort to provide opportunities to young adults in Capetown, South Africa, Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club has created a system for hiring people on a short-term time period. The new employees from Capetown

VII.Worship

A. 21 Places to worship B. Some located at middle schools

VIII.Fun Facts (Celebrities who live there)

A. Dick Vitale (Donations, Broken Egg) B. Jerry Springer (can be seen at South Gate Mall and Rolling Green golf course)

Sources:

<http://www.lakewoodranch.com/>
<http://www.lakewoodranchgolf.com/Club/Scripts/Home/home.asp>
<http://www.manateechamber.com/welcome.asp>

Information Still Needed

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