Del Webb Opens Fourth California Community; 35,000 Visitors Launch Sun City Lincoln Hills.

LINCOLN, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 18, 1999--

With a fresh "SOLD OUT" sign hanging at one California community and the first wave of Baby Boomers turning 55 years old in two years, Del Webb Corporation has invested another $55 million to immediately expand its presence in the fast-moving California real estate market.

Sun City Lincoln Hills, Webb's fourth active adult community in California, opened this month to record crowds and powerful sales numbers. Sun City Lincoln Hills joins two other Webb adult communities near Sacramento and Sun City Palm Desert as some of the best selling properties in Webb's national portfolio.

The community will eventually have about 5,300 homes on its 2,300 acres, and Webb's total investment will ultimately top one billion dollars. To meet the high level of demand Webb announced it will release 211 homesites during May alone. This is in addition to the 373 released since February.

The new Lincoln Hills Sun City is located only a few miles from Webb's successful Sun City at Roseville, near Sacramento. With 3,100 homes sold, Sun City Roseville recently announced it had virtually sold out. The announcement came five years ahead of schedule.

"We see increased demand throughout California for homes in our communities," said general manager Scott Peterson. "There was never any question that we would open another Northern California community.

"We were pleasantly surprised however, at just how quickly we needed to open it. There are already some four million Californians between the ages of 55 and 75. This is Del Webb's prime target market."

With no visible reduction in the demand for Del Webb's highly reputed retirement lifestyle and tens of thousands of names on its interest list, Webb began work on the Lincoln Hill Sun City in 1998. The first residents are scheduled to move in this summer.

There is compelling early evidence that Del Webb has the right idea at the right time. More than 35,000 people visited Sun City Lincoln Hills between its mid-February sales opening and early May. In the first six weeks alone it logged 163 sales, despite the fact that official Grand Opening activities did not begin until May.

Another indicator of the new community's instant popularity is that many of the buyers are coming from outside the immediate area.

About 30 percent of buyers to date have come from the immediate Sacramento region, including some Sun City Roseville residents who like to keep up with Del Webb's latest home and recreational offerings. Another 40 percent are moving from the San Francisco Bay area. Fifteen percent represent communities from throughout the state, including Riverside, Torrance, Newport Beach and Costa Mesa to the south. Out-of-state buyers comprise the remaining 15 percent.

Del Webb has gone all out to ensure that those who make the trip to explore Sun City Lincoln Hills will find it easy to make the decision to buy. The company is the nation's largest builder of active adult communities, and its 40 years of experience are readily apparent.

Prior to opening, Del Webb spent more than $55 million to acquire the property, build infrastructure and an exceptionally appealing model home park, and began work on a Billy Casper signature golf course and extraordinary recreation facility. And that is just the beginning of the company's investment.

"We are continually researching the lifestyle preferences of this age group," said Peterson. "We know they want the most up-to-date recreational and fitness amenities, they want homes that offer comfortable, stylish California living, and they want a sales experience that is a pleasure from beginning to end. We've worked hard to make sure Sun City Lincoln Hills offers all the amenities that are the newest, most exciting and most desirable."

The centerpiece of the new community will be a $20 million, 68,000-square-foot recreational center called Orchard Creek Lodge, scheduled to open late this fall. Its many features will include indoor and outdoor pools, fitness center, indoor track, activity rooms, ballroom with entertainment stage, plus a 120- seat restaurant and sports bar.

"Orchard Creek Lodge will incorporate all the best features from recreational facilities in other Sun Cities," said Peterson, "along with some exciting innovations."

Those innovations include an indoor four-lane walking track above the swimming pool, with superlative views of the Sutter Buttes and Sierra foothills.

Another important new element will be a Wellness Spa, offering residents fitness and educational health programs that are individually tailored and professionally designed and staffed.

Reflecting the growing popularity of softball as a senior sport, Sun City Lincoln Hills will provide residents with a regulation-sized and lighted senior softball field, including an electronic scoreboard, stadium seating, restrooms and a scorer's tower.

A nearby sports plaza will accommodate activities ranging from bocce ball to basketball, and is accented with thoughtful features including a grandchildren's play lot.

And of course there will be a spectacular golf course featuring lakes, waterfalls, and elevations with stunning views. For those who enjoy more quiet moments, a planned network of walking trails and a bass pond for fishing will provide the ideal settings for serene reflection.

"People choose Sun City communities for the great lifestyle," said Peterson. "But the homes we offer also reflect decades of experience and ongoing research. At Sun City Lincoln Hills we've combined the best in Northern California style and design with features that make retirement living a great experience."

Peterson said those features range from entry courtyards, which add a new dimension to entertainment and relaxation, to attractive and practical in-home office spaces to accommodate growing interest in computers and the baby boomers' plans to continue working from home long into the traditional leisure years.

Sixteen professionally decorated models are open to visitors from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Over time, said Peterson, more models will be added.

"Sun City Lincoln Hills offers homebuyers all the benefits the nation's most experienced lifestyle builder can offer," he said. "Our goal is to create a retirement dream come true."

For more information call 1-800-6-Del Webb, or visit the company's website at: www.delwebb.com.