Sunriver Music Festival

2010 Summer Concerts - 33rd Season

Artistic Director: Maestro Lawrence Leighton Smith

Sunriver Music Festival Pops Concert ~ “A Sentimental Journey”
Tuesday, August 10 ~ 7:30 PM ~ Summit High Auditorium, Bend
A walk down memory lane featuring the Sunriver Music Festival Orchestra and Pops vocalist Susannah Mars. Conducted by Maestro Lawrence Leighton Smith. Enjoy a memorable evening of music with nostalgic favorites like That Old Black Magic, You Made Me Love You, I’ll Be Seeing You, In the Mood and Begin the Beguine.

Sunriver Music Festival Concert I
Friday, August 13 ~ 7:30 PM ~ Tower Theatre, BendGabrieli: Antiphonal Brass ChoirSaint-Saëns: Concerto no.3 in B minor for Violin and Orchestra, op.61 Gerald Elias, violin Mozart: Symphony no.40 in G minor, K.550

Sunriver Music Festival Concert II
Saturday, August 14 ~ 7:30 PM ~ Tower Theatre, Bend Glinka: Overture to Ruslan and LudmillaSchubert: Symphony no.8 in B minorWeber: Concerto no.2 in E-flat for Clarinet and Orchestra, op.74 Benjamin Lulich, clarinetHaydn: Symphony no.104, D major

Sunriver Music Festival Family Concert
Sunday, August 15 ~ 2:00 PM ~ Sunriver Village Mall
The Sunriver Music Festival Orchestra perform on the Village Mall lawn demonstrating the workings, sounds and harmonies of their instruments. Excerpts from Concert I & II, including the Gabrieli Brass Antiphonal Choir will be performed. Nine time Young Artist Scholarship winner, violist Katie Hagen, will join the orchestra to perform the Hummel Fantasy from Potpourri op.94 for viola and orchestra.

Sunriver Music Festival Piano Recital ~ 2009 Van Cliburn Finalist, Di Wu
Thursday, August 19 ~ 7:30 PM, Great Hall, Sunriver
Once every four years, a select few young pianists emerge victorious from the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition: “the most prestigious classical piano contest in the world.” Miss Di Wu’s solo piano recital will include the music of Schumann, Debussy, Ravel and Liszt.

Piano Master Class ~ Taught by Di Wu, 2009 Van Cliburn finalist
Thursday, August 20 ~ 1 to 4 PM, Great Hall, Sunriver

Sunriver Music Festival Concert III
Friday, August 20 ~ 7:30 PM ~ Great Hall, Sunriver
Handel: Water Music Suite no.1 in D and FLiszt: Totentanz Hunter Noack, piano, Young Artist Scholarship winnerBrahms: Serenade no.1 in D, op.11

Sunriver Music Festival Concert IV
Saturday, August 21 ~ 7:30 PM ~ Great Hall, Sunriver
ALL BEETHOVEN PROGRAM!
Overture to The Creatures of PrometheusConcerto no.5 in E-flat for Piano and Orchestra, op.73 “Emperor” Di Wu, 2009 Van Cliburn Piano Competition FinalistSymphony no.8 in F, op.93

Sunriver Music Festival Kayak Kantata
Sunday, August 29 ~ 2:00 PM ~ Deschutes River Float
Accompanied by music, kayak, canoe, or ride a party boat down the Deschutes to arrive and dine in Stuart and Sandy Young’s beautiful backyard garden. A delicious catered dinner, wine and friends for a perfect afternoon and evening.

Ticket information: Call 541-593-9310http://www.sunrivermusic.org/ ~ tickets@sunrivermusic.org

New Flight from Redmond to San Francisco

United Airlines will offer a third daily round-trip flight from Redmond, Ore. to San Francisco beginning November 4, 2010. The flights, operated by SkyWest Airlines as United Express service, are in addition to the airline's daily round-trip United Express service from Redmond to Denver and Redmond to Portland.

Some Stats for our Property Owners

Here are some interesting lodging industry numbers for our property owners. Occupancy levels are up for Central Oregon, but nightly prices are down.

Support Sunriver Aquatics Redevelopment

Why Sunriver Resort and Bennington Properties support the amphitheater development proposal

Tom O’Shea, Managing Director, Sunriver Resort

Q: At the June 7 meeting with property managers and the SROA Board of Directors, you and Penny Bennington said you would continue to participate in the access agreement with SROA. Is that still the case?
A: Absolutely. The Resort will be part of the access agreement.

Q: Your comments at the meeting indicated you support the amphitheater site development as proposed. Could you expand on that a little?
A: There are three things pivotal to the Sunriver Community: 1) the Resort; 2) the Village; and 3) the major amenities like the pools and the bike paths provided by the owners’ association. The Resort has been bringing its facilities up to certain level of quality. The Village is doing a wonderful job with their remodel efforts. Sunriver has a number of natural amenities, such as the Deschutes River; however, the pools are run down. The amphitheater site development will attract and impress new visitors to Sunriver, and they will want to return. I feel very passionate about this. As a community, we can be myopic, looking at only today or tomorrow. Or, we can be strategic, looking out five years and beyond.

Q: Where is Sunriver in comparison to the rest of the destination resort industry? Some say we don’t need to do anything, others say now is a bad time because of the recession. What are your views?
A: Sunriver is on the edge of an opportunity. Sunriver has a great brand; new visitors come here with certain high expectations that, if not met, will cause them to not come again. We will face greater competition in Central Oregon in the future. We must make changes when they are needed, and right now they are needed. Remember, the Resort views the amphitheater site development from the perspective of an owner. We will be contributing about $700,000 to fund this project. This is a pivotal time for the community to come together. Information made available to the public must be accurate. If folks have questions, they should ask and receive accurate answers. The owners should make their decision based upon accurate information, not just commentary. Everyone should remember; this debate is not just Yes/No to this proposed development. It also is, if No to this proposal, Yes to what? We have to do something.

Q: Are you comfortable with the estimates of future operational costs presented by SROA?
A: I feel comfortable the people working on this project have consulted with knowledgeable people and have the wherewithal to make the right decisions.

Penny Bennington, Owner, Bennington Properties

Q: Why do you like the amphitheater development proposal?
A: In the 13 years we’ve lived here, the owners association has not developed or added any new amenities. The resort has spent millions of dollars renovating their lodge and golf courses and I think it’s high time we keep pace with what the rest of the destination resorts are doing. We can’t compete without new amenities.

Q: You’ve attended most of the owner forums and board meetings in Sunriver concerning the amphitheater development proposal. What are your thoughts and reactions at this stage?
A: I was surprised at the extensive development of the plan however pleasantly pleased because it is more forward looking rather than just next year or the need to replace the South Pool. It’s looking for what can we add for the long-term in this community. It’s always cost effective to combine projects instead of trying to stage things out. The concept of a year round facility is just great.

Q: Will you participate in the Recreation Access Agreement?
A: Yes. As a property manager I know that I’m going to pay more for an indoor pool because I don’t have an indoor pool for my guests to go to. There are ways to exclude the costs of the indoor pool in the wintertime for the owners of Mavericks who already have one. There’s a whole lot of ways of ways we can get creative in the access agreement, but overall, our company is supportive of the project and we will continue to participate in the access agreement. I will pay my fair share as a property manager to provide this amenity to our guests.

Q: Are you comfortable with the estimates of future operational costs presented by SROA?
A: Yes. In ten years, our homeowners’ association dues are still going to be lower than our competitors. Worst-case scenario: The homeowners pay more to operate the facility if the operational projections turn out to be wrong. But it will be incrementally doable because owners pay so little now. I don’t think we are going to get anywhere close to excess expenses that some property managers are projecting. But we’re going to gain it in property values and everything else.

New Mexican Restaurant opens in Sunriver

El Caporal Family Mexican Restaurant is now open in building #19 in The Village at Sunriver (next to the former Paper Station). Hours are 11am to 10 pm, 7 days a week. Info & reservations – 541-593-3335.

Hair & Nail Spa Opens in Sunriver Village

Obsidian Hair Spa has opened its doors in building #17 of The Village at Sunriver (next to Hot Lava Baking & Coffee Co.). Staffed by Dawn Christensen, owner & stylist, Ken Fenicle, barber, and Pennie Olson, nail technician, the spa is open Mon thru Fri, 8 am to 6 pm, & 8 am to 2 pm on Saturday. Info – 541-593-5682.

Bennington dog tag reunites international dog with owner

We have reunited many dogs with their owners here in Sunriver because of the little green tags we give out to all of our doggie guests, but this is the first international reunite that we have ever been a part of. Last week we received a call from Vancouver, British Columbia from a person who said that while walking their two dogs they had found a dog with only the ‘I am lost in Sunriver; Bennington Properties’ tag on his collar. It just so happened that Simon, our guest from July 2008 and owner of the lost dog in question,"Pepsi," had also called us. We are proud to report that Simon and Pepsi are happily reunited.

Update on Construction at the Sunriver Mall

Spring has finally arrived in Sunriver and construction at the mall is now in high gear. The first round of updates should be finished by mid to late June. It is exciting to finally see changes happening.

See Sunriver's Response to Google

Google is planning to build and test ultra high-speed broadband networks in a small number of trial locations across the United States. They will deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today. Sunriver hopes to be one of those communities. View our video submission to Google below.

Our Pofessional Photographer - Daniel Nikita

Daniel Nikita joined Bennington Properties over two years ago as our Photographer and Webmaster. He has now photographed every home on the program and has worked hard to display each home in its best possible manner.

His passion in photography spans a lifetime. Years ago, he studied at the Indian Arts Institute in Santa Fe, transferred to Brooks Institute (of Photography) in Santa Barbara, and then finally ended his studies at the University of Alaska.

Daniel is currently on his second career here at Bennington Properties. For over 30 years, he worked in the oil industry of Alaska. From the early years on the Aleutian Chain, to the pipeline days, and then many years as a Production Technician for Atlantic Richfield Company at Prudhoe Bay. Even though his job was in Alaska, Dan actually lived in California and then in New Mexico. Needless to say, he racked up some frequent flyer miles trekking back and forth to Alaska.

In 2000, he was offered an early retirement and decided to stay home for a while. Then, after deciding to have a "late in life" family with wife Deb, Daniel decided to be the Mr. Mom at the Nikita Household. After moving to Central Oregon, he was introduced to Robert Bennington and was invited to take on the ever-increasing responsibilities for photography and web site development at Bennington Properties.

Starting this spring, Daniel will be taking a much-earned hiatus and will return on a part-time basis in January 2011. We have really appreciated the dedicated service he has provided and wish him well with this upcoming transition (and look forward to seeing him again in the new year). If you would like to contact him, you can reach him at daniel@benningtonproperties.com.

Sunfest Wine Festival Moved to Resort

This year’s Sunfest Wine Festival will be held July 24-25 at Sunriver Resort. The event will take place on the Meadows driving range and includes a wine dinner and champagne brunch. According to Specialized Events, the festival’s organizers, the move to Sunriver Resort will allow the festival to grow and incorporate new activities and traditions. Admittance to the festival is free but purchase of a signature wine glass is required for tastings. Info – http://www.sunriversunfest.com/ or 541-385-7988.

Sunriver Village Announces Event Line-up

VILLAGE ANNOUNCES EVENT LINEUP – The Village at Sunriver, in cooperation with Alpine Entertainment, has announced its lineup of Village events for the summer season. Addressing the theme, “Come and Rediscover the Village at Sunriver,” the events are intended to cater to families and compliment the retail environment of the Village. Info – ryan@alpine-entertainment .com

Club 10 (Teen Dance) - March 26
Easter in the Village - April 4
New Generations Kids’ Festival - May 22
Memorial Day Village Sidewalk Sale - May 29-30
Dog Days of Summer - June 19
Pacific Crest Sports Festival - June 25-27
Red, White and Blue Fun Run - July 4
Classic Car Show - July 17
Sunriver Quilt Show - August 7
Sunriver Art Faire - August 14-15
Public Safety Day - August 18
So Long For Summer - September 4-5

Sunriver aquatics development update

Architectural Team Presentations Now Accessible

The Group Mackenzie architectural team held their final workshop at the Great Hall in Sunriver on February 6. While the meeting was well attended (full room), we understand the need to share this presentation material with the membership at large. We have edited down over two hours of audio recording to make three short voice-over segments of the team's PowePoint presentation. We encourage to view and listen to all three edited presentations (overall site plan, aquatics and the building).

New questions we'd like you to answer

In addition to posting these videos, we updated the questions included in our aquatics/amphitheater development comment form. After watching the three presentations, we kindly ask that you take another moment to share your thoughts and answer the questions. As always, the feedback received from you is essential in assisting the architectural team and the amphitheater task force to further refine this project.

What's Next?

March 20 - The architectural team presents conceptual design and cost estimates to the SROA Board in Sunriver. This presentation will be made at 4 p.m. at the Great Hall. March 20 is the beginning of Oregon schools' spring break, so if you'll be in Sunriver, be sure to attend.

Thank you for your interest and participation to date. We will continue to keep you informed of the team's progress whenever new information becomes available.

Regards,
John

John Salzer, Chair

SROA Communications Task Force

Women's Club Plans Sunriver Art Faire

This inaugural, juried Art Faire is sponsored by the Sunriver Women's Club, in partnership with the esteemed Sunriver Music Festival. The Faire will be held in the newly refurbished Village at Sunriver. All net proceeds will support deserving non-profits in Centeral Oregon, thus "Artist with Heart." The Sunriver Art Faire coincides with the Sunriver Music Festival concerts. The Festival's popular family concert will be held on our site as the Art Faire's climactic finale Sunday afternoon. In addition to the Artists and Craftspeople showing and selling their work, this weekend event will include entertainment on 2 stages, a children's art area, food, as well as a wine and brew garden.

Info – http://sunriverwomensclub.pbworks.com

La Pine Restore Opens March 5th

Newberry Habitat for Humanity will open its new ReStore in La Pine on Friday, Mar 5th. The ReStore will sell furniture, appliances & tools (all used), building supplies & other miscellaneous household items. Money raised will help finance the building of Habitat homes in La Pine. Hours are 9:30 am to 5 pm, Thursday, Friday & Saturday, beginning 2nd week of March. To donate items or volunteer, call 541-536-3234. http://www.newberryhabitat.org/

SROA's January Aquatics Update

We're happy to report that the three owner workshops held in Portland, Eugene, and Sunriver mid-January were deemed a huge success by the majority of the more than 200 homeowners who attended. The purpose of these sessions was to allow the Group Mackenzie design team to share their initial vision for aquatics and Amphitheater site design, ask specific questions of owners, and have homeowners share their views of what would be best for Sunriver in terms of the site's development.

Attendees were asked to complete detailed questionnaires which Group Mackenzie collected and then tabulated and analyzed the results. They are using this data along with the wealth of information already available to them, to create refined amenity options and plans for the site. Group Mackenzie will present their work to date at another owners workshop at the Great Hall in Sunriver on Saturday, February 6 from 4 to 7 p.m.

This is not the end of the process. We will be using our Web site to keep you up to date on the progress and provide an ongoing opportunity for you to comment. Group Mackenzie will continue to refine their proposal during February and March, and present a conceptual plan for the 22-acre site and amenity construction cost estimates at the March 20 SROA Board of Directors meeting. The board will then have about one month to prepare the ballot measure for the 2010 annual election.

If you attended one of the January workshops, thank you. Your participation is essential to achieve what is best for Sunriver. We hope you continue to be engaged in this development process and look forward to seeing you at future owner forums and workshops.

John Salzer (Aquatics/Amphitheater Communications Task Force)

Dynamic Pricing: It's Here! Are You Ready?

As today's world of e-commerce continues to evolve and grow, it has become clear that variable, dynamic pricing is a key factor to success. Consumers are quickly getting accustomed to negotiating prices or finding the best-price using various search engines that have sky-rocketed in popularity for purchasing hotel rooms, airline tickets, etc. Gone are the days of buyers passively accepting what is posted as "the price". Our new reality is a more savvy, price-conscious consumer looking for the best deal possible. Don't we all want a good deal these days?

How does this translate to the world of vacation rental properties? With the economy down, the trend in dynamic pricing and flexibility with terms has increased. There is been a noticeable increase in the number of guests who can only afford a 3 or 4 day summer vacation, instead of the 5-7+ day period we expected in past years. Some guests are nervous about their employment status and concerned about the financial commitment to a vacation if their job future is unclear. Moreover, vacationers (like everyone) are trying to do more with less. We have seen a marked increase in people booking at the last minute, agreeing to take what is left over in hopes they will receive a major price reduction. This has always been a component in our industry during the winter, as ski season conditions can fluctuate from day to day, week to week. But this trend is spilling into the summer and holiday periods as well.

Our close industry cousin, the Hotel/Motel industry, has been quick to accept this new reality and have embraced the use of various search engines to tabulate truly dynamic pricing. The vacation rental industry has been slower to respond to this popular trend. However, it is becoming increasing obvious that the time has come to give this topic more attention and continue to make pricing changes to the homes in our rental pool, as needed. The goal is simple: maximize the number of nights booked. Gene Bennington uses the analogy of shoes. If a retail store has a pair of shoes for sale and they don't sell on Monday, the store still has the product to try and sell on Tuesday or Wednesday, etc. However, if a vacation rental or hotel room doesn't sell on Monday, then it is over and there is no way to recapture that night's revenue ever again.

In an effort to address this clearly emerging trend, we have spent more and more time contacting our homeowners and floating proposed reservations that do not meet the nightly rate minimum, with the understanding that "something is usually better than nothing". Most owners really appreciate this effort and graciously accept the proposed rate reduction. Time is of the essence when trying to land a booking. Our goal is to convert every inquiry call into a booking and when we stop and contact owners for permission it can sometimes translate into a delay that results in losing a prospective rental. The more autonomy owners allow us to exercise in the reservations department, the quicker and more responsive our service.

Everyone is getting acclimated to the new economy and here at Bennington Properties we want to be on the cutting edge and earn every dollar possible for you. Some owners agree with this in philosophy yet have had some challenges in keeping track of the actual revenue since there is now more variation in the pricing. To see the actual revenue associated with each booking, owners can go in their Bennington Owner's web page and click "Rentals". In that page, click "View Rentals" to see the actual prices, including gross rent, commission and charges associated with that rental, and net to owner.

Please take some time and let us know your thoughts on this. We can make notes in your Owner file granting authorization to do what we see is best and that can help save time and gain in nights booked for your home. Contact Deb Nikita (deb@benningtonproperties.com) or Robert Bennington (robert@benningtonproperties.com) for more on this.

Valentine Dinner & Concert - Music Festival

VALENTINE DINNER & CONCERT – Sunriver Music Festival will hold its annual Valentine Dinner & Concert Sunday, Feb 14th, at 6 pm in Sunriver Resort’s Great Hall. The Tom Grant Jazz Trio will perform romantic love songs along with some upbeat jazz pieces, some of which are original compositions. A 3-course dinner will be offered by Sunriver Resort’s chefs & will include a complimentary beverage from the bar. $75 per person. Info & reservations – 541-593-9310.

2010 Events at Sunriver Nature Center

January 15 – 6:30 pm
Darwin’s Puzzles: The Evolution of Sex and Death
Sunriver Nature Center, Sunriver. Part of the Darwin’s Legacy Series. Tickets required in advance or at the door. Click here for more info.

January 16, 30 & February 13, 27
Saturdays 12:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
SNOWSHOE NATURE WALKS *
Meet at the Nature Center. Carpool with other guests to local snow parks and explore winter in the forest with a naturalist. Bring snacks, water and your own snowshoes. Call for Reservations 593-4394 Max. group = 15 $7 Adults $4 Children Members: $3 Adults $2 Children

February 12 – 6:30 pm
Genetics and the Origin of the Species
Sunriver Nature Center, Sunriver. Part of the Darwin’s Legacy Series. Tickets required in advance or at the door. Click here for more info.

February 13 Saturday
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
BALD EAGLES in OREGON
Join us for a slideshow presentation about one of Sunriver’s largest predators. Program included with NC admission. $3 Adults Children $1 Members Free

March 12– 6:30 pm
Each of us is a Galapagos: the wonderful and bizarre world of microbial evolution?
Sunriver Nature Center, Sunriver. Part of the Darwin’s Legacy Series. Tickets required in advance or at the door. Click here for more info.

March 20 Saturday
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Spring Equinox
Join us for day of exploring how the natural world rejuvenates itself after the long winter season for this year’s Spring Equinox. $3 Adults Children $2 Members Free

March 26 Friday
7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m
Tales of Mystery & Imagination: EARTH
How significant is our planet in the Universe? Find out how Earth compares with our neighbors in our solar system and beyond. What we know today will surprise you $9 Adults, $6 Children, Members Free

Spring Break Kids’ Classes
*March 24 Wednesday 10:00 a.m. - noon
Young Explorers = Ages 4-6 Topic: Tracks
Junior Explorers = Ages 7-10 Topic: Reptiles Cost: $15 /Members $13.50

*March 25 Thursday 10:00 a.m. - noon
Rocketeers must be ages 8 & up Topic: Rocket Science Cost: $20 /Members $18

*March 26 Friday 10:00 a.m. - noon Young Explorers = Ages 4-6 Topic: Dinosaurs
Junior Explorers = Ages 7-10 Topic: Mammals Cost: $15 /Members $13.50

April 16 – 6:30 pm
Evolution of Complexity: Inside Darwin’s Black Box
Sunriver Nature Center, Sunriver. Part of the Darwin’s Legacy Series. Tickets required in advance or at the door. Click here for more info.

April 3, 10, 17, & 24 Thursdays
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
SPRING FAMILY FORAYS
For pre-schoolers, parents and grandparents.
All ages are encouraged to join a naturalist for a nature walk exploring the wonders of early Spring in Sunriver. $3 Adults $2 Children (ages 2-5) Members Free

June 17 – 6:30 pm
Evolution and Religion: Is There Room for Both?
Wille Hall, COCC Campus, Bend. Part of the Darwin’s Legacy Series. Tickets required in advance or at the door. Click here for more info.

October 8 – 6:30 pm
Evolution of Human and Primate Behavior
Sunriver Nature Center, Sunriver. Part of the Darwin’s Legacy Series. Tickets required in advance or at the door. Click here for more info.

November 18 – 6:30
What does it All Mean?
Wille Hall, COCC Campus, Bend. Part of the Darwin’s Legacy Series. Tickets required in advance or at the door. Click here for more info.

* Preregistration required. Call (541) 593-4394

Vacation Rental Trends in Sunriver

The days of white walls, hand me down furniture, and one TV are over as far as the Vacation Rental industry is concerned. It wasn't too long ago that we were asking all of our owners to switch from VCR to DVD players. Now guests expect flat panel TVs and wireless internet. To say times are changing fast in the Vacation Rental industry would be an understatement. To help you keep your property competitive, we suggest you consider the following trends for Sunriver Vacation Properties:

1. King is King!!! When they have the option, most guests will always choose a king bed over a queen bed.

2. TV/DVD player in every room. Who doesn't watch TV in bed?

3. Warm paint colors throughout the house.

4. Update those comforters. Guests love to be spoiled in the bedroom. Bedding trends change almost as often as clothing trends. We suggest you invest in an inexpensive comforter, shams, and matching bed skirt every year or at least every other year. It helps keep your bedrooms fresh and up to date.

5. Artwork - bigger the better. Remember the days when you could fill a wall with hundreds of small framed pieces and it looked nice? Not anymore. Fill that wall space with large, nicely framed pieces. It doesn't have to be expensive, but it better look expensive.

6. Sleep what you can fit at the table. It used to be that you could get away with sleeping 12, but only having an 8 person dining room table. Today, its better to have more options for fewer people, then to try and maximize your sleeping capacity. Don't get me wrong, you still want to try and appeal to the largest number of people, but ask yourself whether the number your property "can" sleep is really the most comfortable for your guests. Consider turning a room into a bonus room with pool table, ping pong, or foosball. Or make it an entertainment room with couches and TV. Or how about that living room? Can the whole family sit and watch a movie together?

7. Got Blueprints? More and more guests are asking to see the blueprints of our properties. They want to see where the bedrooms are located compared to the living room. How many doors lead to the hot tub? Where are all the bathrooms located?

Letter from SROA re: Aquatics

We want to remind you that the Aquatics and Amphitheater Site Design Workshops with Group Mackenzie kick off tomorrow night in Portland, followed by Eugene on Thursday night and Sunriver on Saturday afternoon.

Input from owners that Group Mackenzie gathers at these workshops will influence the conceptual plans they create for new aquatic facilities and other amenities at the Amphitheater site. Their initial designs will be presented at the February 6 workshop in Sunriver. Following that workshop, the Group Mackenzie team will concentrate on refining the conceptual designs and putting together the construction cost estimates for aquatics and other components which might be included in the site development. They will present the refined design and cost estimates at the March 20 board meeting in Sunriver.

The best possible conceptual design cannot be achieved without your input. If you can't attend one of the workshops, please make a point of visiting the SROA Web site often (www.sunriverowners.org) to check the Aquatics and Amphitheater Development pages. The link is the first item under SROA News & Notices in the teal menu bar. Periodic updates will be made throughout the design process - whenever we have new information to share. And beginning tomorrow, you'll also be able to fill out and submit a comment/suggestion/question form that targets the aquatics/Amphitheater site development issue. Please share your thoughts about what's best for Sunriver by attending a workshop or through our online interface. We want to know what you think - and we're listening.

Workshop schedule:

January 13, 2010 - Wednesday, 6 to 9pm - Portland
Embassy Suites Hotel Washington Square
9000 SW Washington Square Rd., Tigard

January 14, 2010 - Thursday, 6 to 9pm - Eugene
Phoenix Inn, 850 Franklin Blvd.

January 16, 2010 - Saturday, 1 to 4pm - Sunriver
SROA Administration Building, 57455 Abbot Drive

February 6, 2010 - Saturday, 4 to 7pm - Sunriver
SROA Administration Building, 57455 Abbot Drive