Welk Resort expanding

Staff Writer - The Timeshare Beat

July 3, 2000
The Welk Resort Group is moving forward with its new Villas on the Green, a 6-phase $33 million vacation ownership resort within the Welk Resort - San Diego near Escondido, CA.

The luxury project, which will include timeshare villas, a recreation center, fitness facility and swimming pool, is only 30 minutes from the San Diego Wild Animal Park, Legoland, North County Fair and wine country, and within 45 minutes of the Southern California beaches, the San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld, San Diego’s historic Old Town and Gaslamp Quarter and Balboa Park.

The 146 two-bedroom, two-bath villas, each with about 1,400 square feet, will be configured as lockoff units featuring two living rooms, two kitchens, and two balconies. Each villa will also provide Internet access systems as a standard feature.

San Diego-based Roel Construction is the general contractor, Illinois-based Yas/Fischel Partnership is the design consultant, and Merilee Elliott Interiors is the interior designer. Carlsbad-based Sprotte + Watson is the architect. Completion of Villas on the Green is scheduled for September 2001.

The Welk Resort - San Diego, stretching over 600 acres, is a dual affiliated RCI Gold Crown Resort/II 5-Star Resort. The property currently comprises a 137-room hotel, 286 vacation ownership villas, an award-winning musical theater, two 18-hole golf courses, a full-service restaurant and four eateries, five swimming pools and spas, five tennis courts, catering facilities, a retail shopping complex, and a market. Guests of the timeshare villas also have access to three recreational centers and two fitness rooms.

THEATER:
As San Diego’s only theater offering a lunch or dinner buffet before each performance, the Welk Resort features a professional cast of equity actors and eight performances each week. Theater patrons have the option of purchasing performance-only tickets or tickets including a sumptuous buffet at the Welk Restaurant. Visitors to the Welk Resort Theatre will also enjoy the Lawrence Welk Museum in the lobby featuring a photo gallery of Lawrence Welk’s 60-year career history of television and theater entertainment.

GOLF:
The following courses were recognized by Golf Digest readers as one of the best places to play golf based on the golf experience and the value for their money:

• The Fountains Executive Golf Course is a par 62 and requires approximately four hours of playing time.
• The Oaks Par Three Golf Course is a par 54 and takes approximately two hours of playing time. This course allows children six years and older to play.

Award winning Pro Shop offering the latest golf apparel, shoes and other golf accessories.
A staff of golf professionals offer weekly clinics, personal golf instruction, as well as various golf programs. Customized golf clubs and tournaments can be arranged for special groups.

DINING:

• The Welk Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as providing lavish lunch and dinner buffets.
• Casual dining can be found at Lorenzo’s Pizzeria and Jonathan’s Deli, located in the shopping plaza.
• The Snack Shop on the Ninth Hole, located on the Fountains Executive Course, provides fast food for golfers.
• Popular gourmet coffee, frozen yogurt and specialty pastries are available at Fern’s.

RETAIL SHOPPING PLAZA:

• The Galleria features women’s clothing, a wide range of classic and contemporary jewelry, specialty gifts and Lawrence Welk memorabilia.
• The Season’s Shop provides year-round seasonal holiday merchandise and is a recognized Tyâ Beanie Baby outlet.
• The Fashion Boutique offers men’s and women’s clothing and gift items.
• The Gift Shop is known for Lawrence Welk memorabilia, as well as quality and modern women’s clothing and jewelry.
• The Market provides a variety of merchandise, food, beer, wine and liquor for guests staying at the villas.

PROGRAMS:

• Destination Welk features daily guided bus tours to regional attractions.
• Gator Club and Wild Adventure Club are summer programs designed for children ages 4 to 12 years with weekly activities that include movies, arts and crafts, pool games, and scavenger hunts.
• Golf clinics are offered weekly by one of the resort’s golf professionals.

SPECIAL SERVICES:
Groups with 20 or more guest rooms can utilize the group sales department’s tour planning services, which includes planning customized itineraries, discounts for local attraction entrance tickets and wholesale motor coach transportation.
Incentive groups can select from 600 acres of creative meeting space, the services of the group sales department, on-site catering, and special programs. The Welk Resort - San Diego’s golf facilities also offer the option of private group lessons and tournaments.

HISTORY:
1964-Lawrence Welk, who is best known for the longest running television variety show, purchased a small mobile home park, a four-room motel, and a nine-hole golf course that are the site of the Welk Resort - San Diego.

1965-Lawrence Welk aired one of his shows from his vacation location in Escondido, CA, which instantly became a popular tourist attraction.

1968-The first renovation at the resort occurred when a small hotel and restaurant opened.

1980-A shopping plaza and theater were built. The theater was first used to show The Lawrence Welk Success Story, a 28-minute documentary on Lawrence Welk.

1981-The Welk Resort Theatre featured its first musical, Barefoot in the Park, with Dorothy Lamour.

1984-Timeshare villas opened and an 18-hole executive golf course was added and the nine-hole course was expanded to an 18-hole golf course.

The Welk Resort - San Diego is part of the Welk Group Inc., which is a group of Hospitality, Real Estate and Entertainment businesses owned and managed by the Welk family.

SOURCE: The Welk Resort
The Welk Resort's Web site can be accessed at http://www.welkresort.com