FF Santa Barbara

andy · Jun 30, 2006

Just received a phone call from RCI telling me that Santa Barbara will not open until January, 2008. By this time the resort should be like brand new.

KenK · Jun 30, 2006

Re: Santa Barbara

Andy, what happens to the weeks and FF points owners?

andy · Jul 1, 2006

Ken,
Points owners can use there points at any other FF resort, week owners will get a week deposited in RCI. - Andy

bruin1 · Jul 1, 2006

Andy-
Why would RCI call you vs Fairfield? In the past, since we are owners at the Santa Barbara we got a letter from Fairfield stating that the ?? opening date would be ater Dec of 2006.
Thanks
Mary Ann

andy · Jul 2, 2006

RCI called me because I had a number of exchange weeks for 2007. I also own 280,000 points and a one fixed week at Santa Barbara.

bruin1 · Jul 2, 2006

Andy-
I hope RCI is not right. This is unbelievable it is taking this long to repair the resort. The Fairfield resort homepage has not lsited this new opening date yet. I think I will call the Santa Barbara Monday and see if I can get a more info.
Thank-you Andy for the info!
Mary Ann

jwlk0727 · Jul 2, 2006

Thanks for the info Andy. This is exactly what I suspected would happen. The deposited week for week's owners sound good, but my guess is that it will be the same bonus vacation week that I was offered this year. That means that in addition my maintenance fees I'll have to buy a bonus week, if I want use my ownership week either this year or next. Furthermore, the bonus week that I was offered this year had so many restrictions on it that it was not useable by me. As far as I'm concerned, this amounts to no benefit at all. Fairfield is absolutely ripping off the Santa Barbara owners. In essence, we've subsidized the repair of the other resorts in the area, because Fairfield has forced us to wait until the other resorts are repaired to begin work on Santa Barbara. Jean Walker, Santa Barbara owner, Rocky Hill, CT

andy · Jul 2, 2006

I think it is about time that we start looking to get some owners on the board instead of all FF employees.

andy · Jul 5, 2006

Bruin I,
Did you get a chance to call Fairfield? I may call them myself later today.

bruin1 · Jul 5, 2006

Andy-
Not yet! I will try today as well. I think the more owner's that let them know this is unacceptable the better.
Mary Ann

bruin1 · Jul 5, 2006

Andy-
I called the Santa Barbara directly. I was directed to FF. I called FF and they told there have been no new updates and the scheduled opening is Jan 2007. I'm not sure who is telling the truth? What would RCI benefit from
by giving you the info that did? Why would they give you false info?

Let me know if you find out anything?
Mary Ann

joestein · Jul 5, 2006

We went to the beach at Royal Vista in Late May, and stopped to take a look at Santa Barbara. It didn't look like it would be opening anytime soon. There wasn't anyone working there and all the bushes, etc were very overgrown. My wife and I thought the building looked abandoned.

Joe

bruin1 · Jul 5, 2006

Thanks Joe.
I just wish I knew who to call and maybe we can get alot of owners to call
and find out what the heck is happening. Our maintenance fees are going to for something and what about the insurance.
Mary Ann :wall:

KenK · Jul 5, 2006

In most cases, the insurance begins to pay after owners have paid their deductable.

In a 110 unit condo in S Fl, the current deductable has been raised to approx one million....if you want to keep the insurance. (That is our buildings' in Broward current charges....but it is not a T/S)

I saw SB the last time in May. I saw a lot of trucks painted white, and a lot of windows that continued to be boarded up. (ie- the dade coded glass was in short supply- and insurance companies are not paying so quickly).

I didn't see the Santa Barbara signage....which I believe I did see in Jan.

They must be doing something....taxes are still due whether the condo is being used or still under construction. (Maybe the tax value is lowered due to repairs and unusable conditions?) And the maintance is still being collected on each unit.

I guess this might say something for an independant HOA.

jwlk0727 · Jul 6, 2006

Mary Ann:
I'm with you. Every time I deal with FF, I feel as if I'm beating my head against the wall. Even if the deductible is $1M, FF has enough fees from 4680 unit weeks to cover that and pay themselves their hefty management fee, too. Taxes were assessed separately. So, that should be no problem either. Something is wrong with this picture. Jean W.

jwlk0727 · Jul 6, 2006

I did call FF today, and spoke with the Owner Relations department. They called me back a couple of hours later to tell me that the "project managers" plan to have the resort completed by the end of the third quarter of 2006 (this year). Since it is July and the end of the third quarter is October 31st, I guess that they're going to be working very fast. We'll see. Jean W.

nrkh12 · Jul 6, 2006

We also received a call from RCI letting us know that they were cancelling our Feb. 07 exchange to Santa Barbara. RCI claims the resort will be closed until 2008. I called Fairfield and was assured that the resort would be open by the end of 2006. I'm not sure who to trust.
We had the same problem last year with an exchange to Grand Mayan Riviera Maya - RCI cancelled the reservation saying our unit was not available due to storm damage but it was not true. The resort had plenty of room for us and RCI was renting weeks during our scheduled stay in Extra Vacations for 3000.00 week.

MoeDan2727 · Jul 7, 2006

We were at Palm ayre in May and looked at the Santa Barbara.

It is entirely boarded up and no work was apparent. Our rep told us that the interior was going to be comletely redone and yes by the time it is finsihed it will be like a brand new resort.

The parking lot in the back was open for the boat cruises.

dan

andy · Jul 7, 2006

Mary Ann,
I called FF yesterday and was transferred to customer service. They told me that Santa Barbara will probably open in late 2007, but had no projection dates. They also told me that Sea Gardens and Palm Aire are still not 100% available for use. Andy

marsha77 · Jul 8, 2006

I'll be down there July 15th, staying at Fairfield Ocean Palms. If I understand right, it is close to Santa Barbara - so... me being soooo nosy will check it out!

Marsha

bruin1 · Jul 8, 2006

Marsha-
Keep us informed!
Thank-you Mary Ann

marsha77 · Jul 8, 2006

I'll let you know!

Marsha

bruin1 said:
Marsha-
Keep us informed!
Thank-you Mary Ann

jwlk0727 · Jul 9, 2006

Andy:
I'm inclined to think that the info that you got is more accurate than what I was told. I sent a letter to FF in Orlando asking for information. I'll let you know what they say...if I get a response. Jean W., Rocky Hill, CT

arm123 · Jul 19, 2006

Just got back from a trip to Pompano Beach. There is no work going on at Santa Barbara. There is only a lonely security man on the premises. The locals don't expect any work to begin in the near future!

Betty · Jul 19, 2006

Do you think it is time for the Santa Barbara owners to look into the legality of this situation? Would that help to get Fairfield moving forward on the repairs to this resort?

Fairfield isn't a small company. I can't understand why the repairs to this resort are being stalled for so long. I'm beginning to think it may never open again. Something is terribly amiss.