Mayor Weill Recaps 2016

From the Office of the Mayor: Greetings Friends!

The beginning of a new year always presents an opportunity for reflection on the year that was. When I consider what 2016 meant for Rancho Mirage, I quickly realize that our city experienced some tremendous milestones and accomplishments. The following is a summary of the most significant events that occurred in the 92270 zip code during 2016:

• On December 7th, the City of Rancho Mirage broke ground on the Coachella Valley's first observatory, which will be located at the Rancho Mirage Public Library. The Rancho Mirage Observatory will be a research-level facility that will allow visitors of all ages to explore the universe in ways that are seemingly limitless. Completion of the Rancho Mirage Observatory is expected in the summer of 2017.

• Beginning in January, the overwhelmingly popular Rancho Mirage Writer's Festival celebrated its third year with yet another sold out weekend of events dedicated to the written word. Hosted by the Rancho Mirage Public Library, this absolutely phenomenal event has grown to become the most important gathering of authors and readers in the State as they come together to discuss their books, idea sources, and the mechanics of writing for publication. In 2016, the Writer's Festival became the largest author/book event in any public library in the U.S. This year's festival, which will be held from January 28 - 29, is sure to be spectacular.

• Opening its doors in January of 1996, the Rancho Mirage Public Library celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2016. Over the past two decades the Library and its staff welcomed 5,000,000 visitors, checked out 9,000,000 books and media, offered 15,000 programs to 500,000 attendees and answered 1,200,000 research questions. 2016 also brought many changes and additions to the Library including the dedication of the beautiful new Special Collections Room which displays the Gerald and Betty Ford Collection and the Joe and Gigi Roberson Mineral Collection; construction on the new production booth in the Library Community Room; groundbreaking for the City Observatory (to be finished by autumn 2017); a new floor plan for the Annenberg Reading Room to be transitioned into a study center and 250-seat venue for programs; re-upholstering of every chair in the Library; and new carpet, paint, and wall-covering through all public spaces. The Library's first twenty years were full of culture, lifelong learning, and endless intellectual possibilities, making it the very best public library in the country. The future holds unlimited potential and excitement for what our Library and Observatory will bring to our community!

• President Obama hosted a two-day summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at Sunnylands. ASEAN is made up of representatives from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The summit was the result of a desire to refocus and rebalance our foreign policy and to deepen our engagement with the Asia-Pacific region. The summit was also an example of Sunnylands' strong draw as a destination for high-level national and international leaders to gather. This further enhances the reputation of Rancho Mirage as being the host city for Presidents and heads of state.

• On Valentine's Day, the City of Rancho Mirage was pleased to share with the public the opening of the spectacular, state-of-the-art Amphitheater at Rancho Mirage Community Park with the inaugural Music in the Park series! This free- to-the-public musical performance series was tremendously popular; so much so that it will be brought back in the spring of 2017. This year's series will kick off with Pam Tillis on Sunday, February 19th, followed by Pablo Cruise (February 25th), Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (March 5th), Ted Herman's Orchestra in conjunction with David Green's Musical Theater University (March 11th), and Starship featuring Mickey Thomas (March 26th). Gates open at 5:00 PM and shows start at 7:00 PM. I hope to see you there.

• Rancho Mirage was once again home to one of golf's most significant events, the ANA Inspiration. This LPGA major championship is the first of the season and has been played at Mission Hills Country Club since 1972. The tournament is second only to The Masters at Augusta National for its length of time at the same course since its inception. 2016's champion was the LPGA's World No.1 ranked player, 18-year-old sensation, Lydia Ko. We all look forward to her defending her title when the tournament returns to Mission Hills March 27 through April 2, 2017.

• After significant effort by the City and new owners (Paragon Commercial Group), the redevelopment of the Rancho Las Palmas Shopping Center entered its final phase. The incredibly successful result is essentially a brand new shopping center with new architecture, new landscaping, additional access to and from Highway 111, and new pedestrian oriented patio spaces - all reflective of the high quality standards of our community. Visitors to the center will find a brand new CVS/pharmacy with a drive-through, Stein Mart, Hobby Lobby, a drive-through Starbucks, Norma's Italian Kitchen, Brandini Toffee, Greens International Market, and Pieology, among several other shops. 2017 will bring additional tenants to the center including Monica and Tim Bradley's restaurant, Haus of Poke, and the announcement of a tenant for the final building to be constructed at the corner of Highway 111 and Magnesia Falls.

• After a long journey, the great community dog park that Councilmember Dana Hobart envisioned finally came to being. The grand opening ceremony was in November when the City opened the gates to its first and only dog park, with residents and their furry friends taking in all that the fabulous 4.5-acre park has to offer! Open seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., the park features separated spaces with a one-acre area for large dogs and a 1/2-acre area for small dogs. The park is surrounded by a decorative perimeter fence with double locking gates to ensure pet safety. The lighted walkway along the exterior fence allows for pet owners to take a stroll while at the park - just over four laps around is equal to a mile. Plenty of parking with 24 lighted parking stalls and shaded seating areas provide a place to rest while your pet enjoys his or her freedom. The Rancho Mirage Dog Park is a welcome addition to our fine city and will provide a fantastic space for residents and their pooches for years to come.

• The River at Rancho Mirage took some major steps towards bringing this important entertainment, dining, and shopping center back to glory. The valley's only outdoor ice skating rink - The Rink at Rancho Mirage - has brought a one-of-a-kind experience to both residents and visitors since its grand opening in November. Open through January 8th, The Rink has drawn young and old alike and was the focal point of a spectacular holiday celebration that included a tree lighting ceremony, live music and an ice skating Santa!

• Representatives of The River announced the coming of Acqua California Bistro (marking the return to The River) in the former bb's space and Fox & Fiddle (a British pub themed restaurant) in the former Sam's Sushi space. These restaurants are expected to be open the end of January/beginning of February. Guests at the River will also notice a brand new comprehensive tenant sign program, a fresh paint scheme, additional landscaping improvements; and moviegoers will find luxury lounge recliner seating in all auditoriums at the ever popular Century Theatres. Expect additional improvements such as solar covered parking and new leasable tenant space in the future as well.

• After years of sitting idle in an incomplete state, the Rancho Mirage Rehabilitation Hospital (at the corner of Da Vall Drive and Ramon Road) began construction. Vibra Health Care is scheduled to open the facility by summer 2017. Vibra Healthcare is a well-established care provider that currently operates more than 90 specialty acute care hospitals in 20 states. Their facilities provide long term acute care for disorders such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease and post-surgery medical care for patients recovering from strokes, spinal injuries, amputations, brain injuries, and a variety of other issues. Completion of this project will be enthusiastically welcomed as it has been an eyesore for quite some time.

• Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) and sales tax are the city's two largest sources of revenue, and both experienced increases in 2016 of 11% and 5% respectively. Rancho Mirage is a strong draw to visitors, as its beautiful resorts offer a unique experience to guests and provide the perfect location from which to explore all the surrounding area has to offer. A key aspect of those offerings enjoyed by residents and visitors alike are the many shopping and dining opportunities within our city. A large part of my focus on the City Council and during my term as Mayor has been, and will continue to be, on the continued commercial growth in Rancho Mirage. No other city in the valley is in a better position to capture future growth than Rancho Mirage. Much of the undeveloped land in the northern part of our city is zoned to take advantage of the significant Interstate 10 traffic and growing valley population, and the few vacant cove properties along Highway 111 provide tremendous opportunity for commercial development.

Rancho Mirage has earned the reputation of being a well-managed, financially strong city with high quality standards. This is evident upon entering the city and feeling the smooth surface of the streets that includes a rubberized compound resulting in a more pleasant ride with less noise. We are a well-rounded residential community consisting of moderate single family dwelling units to large-scale estate properties. The Rancho Mirage Housing Authority owns four housing properties totaling 226 units that are restricted to people over the age of 55 and within certain income thresholds. Our objective in 2017 is to continue to maintain the high standards that make Rancho Mirage the envy of the Coachella Valley. 2016 was a banner year for us and 2017 is sure to bring many more exciting developments.

Thank you for your time. Please share your ideas, suggestions, or comments by emailing me at Tedw@RanchoMirageCA.gov.

My very best wishes,

Mayor Ted Weill

Photo courtesy of the Office of the Mayor