The Yankees Co-Owner Who Built America’s First Retirement City in the Arizona Desert

Sun City, Arizona

There’s a place in Arizona where 79-year-olds become cheerleaders and 92-year-olds play softball twice a week.Sun City didn’t just change how Americans retire, it changed how they think about life after 55. Here’s how Sun City became the place where retirement got a total makeover.

Del Webb

Del Webb was a New York property developer who co-owned the New York Yankees. At age 60, he built Sun City in 1960 based on the idea that retirees wanted active lifestyles rather than quiet isolation.

Sun City, Arizona

Dell’s company applied lessons from building San Manuel, Arizona for the Magma Copper Company in 1953. His plan centered on recreation, social connection, and continued activity for retirees. Construction began July 1959 with roads and the first nine-hole golf course.

Opening Day Frenzy

Home building started in September, with the first model home built at 12801 West Augusta Drive. Five model homes awaited visitors on January 1, 1960.

Traffic jammed Grand Avenue as 100,000 people arrived that weekend. DEVCO sold 237 homes worth $2.5 million in those first days. Webb had projected 1,700 homes over three years but sold 2,000 in the first year alone.

America’s First Age-Restricted Community

Sun City rules require at least one resident in each household to be 55 years or older. No one under 19 years old may permanently live in Sun City homes. These requirements exist as legal deed restrictions built into property titles.

The Sun City Community

Eight recreation centers form the community core. No other 55+ community in America offers as many dedicated facilities. Fairway Center completed a two-phase renovation in 2011, adding a state-of-the-art fitness center and indoor walking track.

Oakmont Recreation Center, the original center, upgraded in 2016 with a hyper dissolved oxygen and ozone system for pool sanitation in 2022. Sundial Center houses the only indoor swimming pools, including an automated chair-lift for residents with mobility needs.

Golf Takes Center Stage

Sun City Country Club opened March 4, 1967, as the first country club Del Webb built. Within six months of opening, all memberships sold out, creating a waiting list.

Today, Sun City has about eight golf courses with five championship and three executive courses. These courses cover 1,100 acres within a six-mile radius, giving residents easy access throughout the community.

120+ Clubs Form Community Backbone

The Clubs Office at Oakmont Recreation Center coordinates this network of activities from 10725 W. Oakmont Drive.

Each January, on the third Wednesday, Sun City hosts “Discover Sun City AZ” to showcase clubs and amenities. Sports clubs include lawn bowling, pickleball, and shuffleboard. Arts and crafts groups range from ceramics to woodworking.

Self-Contained Community

Webb designed Sun City to meet all resident needs within its boundaries. His plan reserved specific areas for shopping centers and businesses as the population grew. United Church of Sun City became the first religious institution.

Sun Valley Lodge, the first long-term care facility, provided healthcare services. Hi-way House served as hotel, restaurant, and temporary housing for buyers waiting for home completion.

Boswell Hospital

The nearest hospital in Glendale proved too far for the aging population. A community fund drive plus a $1.2 million donation from the James G. Boswell Foundation created Boswell Hospital.

Construction began in 1969, with the first two towers opening in 1970. Banner Boswell Medical Center now includes 501 patient rooms, an emergency department, and critical care unit. The facility ranks among the Top 100 Hospitals nationwide.

Affordable Living Draws Residents

Sun City made active retirement accessible to middle-class Americans for the first time. Property taxes remain low compared to other retirement communities. Residents pay no school taxes, which typically account for one-third of property tax bills elsewhere.

As of 2017, annual property assessments cost $496 per property. These fees provide access to all recreational facilities for up to two owners per household.

Visiting Sun City, Arizona

Recreation Centers of Sun City headquarters stands at 10626 W. Thunderbird Blvd. The facility opens Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM for visitor information. Del Webb Sun Cities Museum operates from the first model home at 10801 W. Oakmont Drive.

Visitors need no special passes to tour public areas and see recreation centers from outside.

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