March 29, 2007

VIP Event Presents Stonelake Ranch Lifestyle

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL – Riding horses over rolling hills and groomed trails, visiting neighbors in their spacious luxury homes and enjoying a casual cookout on the banks of Lake Thonotosassa are already regular activities for residents of Stonelake Ranch, a sprawling boating and equestrian community in eastern Hillsborough County. Nearly 40 guests and potential new residents got an intimate introduction to the Stonelake Ranch lifestyle at a special VIP event in March, which ended with several prospective homesite sales.

The event was designed to showcase the features that make Stonelake Ranch unique: 685 acres of pristine ranchland-turned estate-sized homesites, waterfront lots on the 880-acre Lake Thonotosassa or the 37-acre Hendry Lake, a protected island bird sanctuary, 40-foot-wide horse trails traversing the community, access to water sports and nature watching, and estate-sized homes. And all just minutes from the I-75/I-4 corridor which means a short 25-minute drive west to Tampa or east Lakeland.

A select group of guests was invited to experience Stonelake Ranch at its best, as the sales and marketing team offered pony rides, community tours by car and boat, entertainment and outdoor dining at the Welcome Center one sunny Saturday afternoon. Because of the stunning landscape and unexpected features, Stonelake Ranch is best experienced by a personal visit rather than photographs or a brochure, said Sales and Marketing Director David Cooper.

"Everyone who visits Stonelake Ranch is just amazed at how beautiful this community is," he said. "Getting them on site is vital, and hosting a lifestyle event really gives them a taste of how their life could be. The key is keeping the groups small and intimate so that each guest gets personal attention and all of their questions answered," he added. Cooper added that the March event garnered three to four strong prospects for the community. Future events are planned to continue this specialized outreach.

There are currently more than 40 luxury homes complete or under construction at Stonelake Ranch with nine families already moved in and settled.  Homesite prices at Stonelake Ranch range from the low $400’s to more than $1 million. Preferred builders for the community include John Cannon Homes, Bartlett Custom Homes, Alvarez Homes, Campagna Homes, Arthur Rutenberg Homes and the Fechtel Company.

Stonelake Ranch is being developed by Charles Funk and Jeff Meehan, who also developed the successful Arbor Greene community in New Tampa.  Stonelake Ranch is located off the McIntosh Road exit of Interstate 4, just 25 minutes from downtown Tampa.  For more information, call (813) 986-0062 or visit us online at www.stonelakeranch.com. The Welcome Center is open from 10:00 – 5:00 Monday through Saturday and from 12:00 – 5:00 on Sunday.