The Grand

The Grand (formerly Sun City Grand) is Del Webb's flagship Arizona 55+ community, sprawling across 4,000 acres in the city of Surprise about 18 miles northwest of downtown Phoenix. The Grand celebrated its grand opening in October 1996 and sold out its final home in December 2005. Today roughly 20,000 residents live in approximately 9,552 single-family homes and 252 La Solana condominiums. It's part of Surprise's "Retirement Row" along Bell Road — a stretch that also includes Sun City, Sun City West, Sun Village, Arizona Traditions, and Sun City Festival. Technically this is a 45+ community (Del Webb allows up to 15% of homes to be occupied by age 45–54 residents, with no residents under 19), but it's overwhelmingly marketed and lived as a 55+ active adult community. The HOA is financially strong, with an annual operating budget over $20 million and roughly $15 million in reserves, supported by more than 300 staff. Every home pays an annual assessment of $1,921 (~$160/month), which covers the recreation centers, amenities, and two Activity Cards per household. Some neighborhoods carry a secondary HOA of about $660/year for exterior maintenance, and additional Activity Cards run about half the annual assessment. The recreational footprint is enormous. Four regulation 18-hole championship golf courses — Desert Springs (the 1996 original by Billy Casper and Greg Nash), Granite Falls North, Granite Falls South, and Cimarron — are owned by the association, and a single membership gives access to all four. Residents can take golf carts through the community to the courses, restaurants, and even across to Sun City West. Two main recreation centers anchor community life. The Adobe Spa & Fitness Center houses a state-of-the-art fitness facility, indoor lap pool, outdoor resort pool, an indoor walking track above the pool, and dance/exercise studios. The Cimarron Center serves the west side of Loop 303 with another large fitness center, a lavish outdoor pool complex, the full-service Cimarron Day Spa, and a pickleball complex of 22 courts. The Sonoran Plaza is the community's social hub, featuring a 9,000-sq-ft grand ballroom, meeting rooms, and craft and hobby studios. The Palm Center is home to a visitor's center and the community's own television station. La Solana condos have their own pool, clubhouse, and amenities in addition to full access to the broader Grand facilities. Outdoor amenities include lawn bowling greens, bocce ball, tennis courts, horseshoe pits, a softball field (home to a Grand Softball Club of roughly 400 members), fishing lakes, a dog park, an outdoor amphitheater, and extensive walking and biking trails. Between 50 and 100+ chartered clubs cover everything from billiards, bridge, canasta, euchre, poker, mah jongg, and dominoes to art, clay, glass arts, photography, woodworking, stitchers, garden, drama and comedy, dance, and music. Fitness-oriented clubs include pickleball, tennis, bocce, softball, cornhole, lawn bowling, table tennis, hiking, and RV travel. There are also dedicated golf clubs for men, women, 9-hole, 18-hole, putters, and couples play. Dining and shopping happen on the community's Main Street and at the golf clubhouses. Residents enjoy The Grand Café in the Village Center, plus Angela's at The Falls and the Desert Springs clubhouse restaurant — upscale spots with golf course views. A bank, beauty salon, pharmacy, and small retail round out the on-site conveniences. Just outside the gates, residents have Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center (less than 10 minutes away) for top-rated geriatric, cardiac, and orthopedic care, plus Walmart, Sam's Club, Trader Joe's, and a full range of restaurants. Costco is about 20 minutes east at Arrowhead, and Sun City West sits directly across Grand Avenue — perfect for cart-hopping between communities. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is roughly 40 minutes away. Homes range from 1,000-sq-ft condos up to 3,800+ sq-ft single-family homes across more than 50 original Del Webb floor plans. Many homes back onto golf courses or desert washes, and the community enjoys clear views of the White Tank Mountains. With resale the only option (the community sold out nearly two decades ago), buyers typically find extensively remodeled and well-maintained homes, with recent sales ranging from the high $100s for La Solana condos into the $700K+ range for premium golf-course properties.