1983-84: Resort was constructed

12/30/84: Grand Opening Celebration

1986: First Parade at Golden Vista

1993-96: Conversion to Homeowners Association Resort

This is a brief history of the Golden Vista Resort. It’s purpose is to lay out some of the chronological events that may help explain why some things happened when they did.

The Resort was started by a person named Dunkle. Dunkle was developing both the Golden Vista RV Resort and the Desert Sun apartments adjacent to the north. During the construction he ran into financial troubles and sold the RV Resort so he could finish the apartments.

The RV Resort opened in September 1984 as a rental RV with an annual rent of $900. Keith Finkle was the manager. A Grand Opening celebration was held on Dec. 30,1984. There were 22 initial renters known as the Pioneers. In Dec. 1985 the Resort was sold to the Stapley – Garden Company who later lost it to a bank.

In 1986 Connelly Wolfswinkle bought the Resort from the bank. He ran specials of $7.00 per day to new renters that might make long term leases. Wolfswinkle ran the Resort until he was forced into bankruptcy in 1988 through his association with the Charles Keating investigation. At that time a bank took over the Resort and ran it for about two years. The bank sold the Resort to Demco Car Company located in Iowa. After a short period of time Wolfswinkle repurchased the Resort at a fraction of the cost. In 1993 Wolfswinkle subdivided the Resort and started to sell individual lots for conversion to a Homeowners Resort. Glen Hall named as sales manager and later also became Resort manager.

The first Advisory Board consisting of lot owners was appointed by the corporation on January 1995. In February 1995 the second Advisory Board was elected by the lot owners to start the transition to a Homeowners Association (HOA). The Resort was annexed by Apache Junction from Pinal County on August 17,1995. On June 12,1996 the Homeowners Association took over the Resort and the second Advisory Board became the first Board Of Directors. The Board appointed Karen Hancock as the manager.

The septic tank system was abandoned and a sewer system was installed and connected to the Apache Junction system in the summer of 1996. The first annual meeting of the Homeowners Association was held January 14,1997. The managing of the Resort was changed from a Board hired manager to a contract with a managing company on December 19,1997. The first managing company was Eagle Properly Management, Inc. The Eagle Management contract was canceled 1 July 2001 and the Association returned to self-management and Dell McKinney was hired as the Resort Manager.

On March 8, 2010, Dell McKinney resigned and Larry Martin was appointed Interim Manager. On November 9, 2010, Larry Martin was hired as the Resort Manager.

Ballroom Renovation: On March 13, 2012, it was announced that a $230 Supplemental Assessment was approved by the membership with 634 yes votes or 59% out of 928 ballots cast (the CCR’s require a majority or 538 yes votes). Renovation of the Ballroom was accomplished during April-July 2012. Reports and pictures are available.