March has been a wild month in The Villages. A new Walmart Supercenter opened its doors, the developer proposed an $80 million check to settle the Villages Health bankruptcy, and Eastport keeps adding restaurants and shops at a pace that’s hard to keep up with.
Let’s get into it!
Video of the Month
Nobody captures the scale of what’s happening here better than Don over at Gold Wingnut. In this one he covers the construction that’s quickly ramping up heading into the summer months — new additions coming to The Villages community, progress on existing builds, and what’s being promised for the months ahead.
When you see it from 400 feet up, you realize just how fast this place is growing. If you only watch one Villages video this month, make it this one.
The Big Story
Developer Puts Up $80 Million to Settle Villages Health Bankruptcy
If you’ve been following the Villages Health saga, this is a big development. On March 21, the Developer filed a proposal in U.S. Bankruptcy Court to pay $80 million toward the lingering bankruptcy debt of The Villages Health (TVH). That money goes toward paying off claims through TVH’s plan of liquidation.
Quick refresher: TVH went Chapter 11 back in July 2025 after self-reporting roughly $360 million in erroneous Medicare billing. Humana’s CenterWell division purchased TVH for $68 million last November, and in 2026 the clinics are accepting Aetna, CarePlus, Florida Blue, Humana, and UnitedHealthcare. The UHC deal was touch-and-go for a while — about 25,000 UHC members use these clinics — but they got it done.
The $80 million settlement is separate from whatever the DOJ works out with TVH on the Medicare side. A federal judge overruled UnitedHealthcare’s earlier objections to the sale, and Baker & Hostetler (the law firm running the bankruptcy) submitted a $2.5 million bill just for July through October. This thing has been expensive for everyone.
My take: This is the developer stepping up to close the chapter. $80 million is real money, and it signals that the people running this community want this mess behind them. For residents, the practical reality hasn’t changed — your clinics are open, your insurance works. But having this settled matters for the long-term story of The Villages.
Further reading: Developer to pay $80M toward TVH bankruptcy (Villages-News) | Villages Leadership supports settlement (PR Newswire) | UHC patients stay in network for 2026 (FOX 35) | Law firm bills $2.5M for bankruptcy work (Villages-News)
Also Worth Knowing
Walmart Supercenter Opens on SR-44 — And a Second One Is Already Under Construction
The first Walmart Supercenter inside The Villages officially opened March 4 at SR-44 and Morse Boulevard. It’s a 200,000-square-foot “store of the future” with a garden center, 20-pump fuel station, and more than 400 new jobs. The grand opening featured LPGA legend Nancy Lopez and actor Anthony Anderson. One big caveat: this location is not golf-cart accessible, so you’ll need to drive.
And they’re not stopping there. Construction just started on a second Walmart — a 48,000-square-foot Neighborhood Market near Mulberry Grove Plaza off Highway 42 in the Marion County section. That one’s expected to open in late 2026 or early 2027.
Further reading: Opening day coverage (Villages-News) | Walmart official press release (BusinessWire) | Second Walmart breaks ground (Villages-News) | SR-44 store details (Only Villages)
Eastport Keeps Growing: Hotel, Restaurants, and Retail Coming Fast
Eastport is turning into a real destination. Hotel Eastport opened January 9 with Yamas (a Mediterranean restaurant) and Sundaze Ice Cream Shoppe, both overlooking the lake and pool. Prime & Embers, the new upscale steakhouse from FMK Hospitality, is now open. And over in Middleton, Portillo’s is serving Chicago-style dogs, Zunzar is open for casual dining, and 4 Rivers Smokehouse is building out a 4,725-square-foot restaurant. Coming in Q2: Found for Home (home decor) and Mia Sorella (clothing and accessories).
Further reading: Eastport: what’s open now (Only Villages)
Housing Market: Prices Down, Inventory Up — It’s a Buyer’s Market
The numbers tell the story. The median sale price in The Villages is $352,500, down 8.4% year-over-year. Homes are sitting on the market for about 48–72 days depending on the source. There’s roughly a 2.2-month supply of inventory, and only 225 homes sold in January. The Reventure App’s forecast score is 28 out of 100 — firmly in buyer territory. If you’ve been on the fence about making a move, your negotiating power hasn’t been this good in years.
Further reading: Are home prices going down in 2026? (WFTV) | Housing market data dashboard (Houzeo) | The Villages housing market trends (Redfin)
Road Work Ahead: Mill and Overlay Projects Starting in Several CDDs
Superior Asphalt is beginning mill and overlay road work in CDD 4 (Units 62–64) and CDD 2 (El Santiago VRC, Spanish Springs, and Lake Sumter Landing areas). If you live in those zones, expect some detours and noise over the coming weeks. It’s maintenance, not expansion — but it’s good to see the infrastructure getting attention.
Further reading: Road project details (Villages-News)
Coming Up: Entertainment Highlights
Here’s what’s coming up in April:
- VPO Classical Concert Series — The Sharon, April 2 (Thu). The Villages Philharmonic Orchestra with guest violinist Fabrizio Falasca and pianist Luigi Brozillo. Tickets from $30.
- Atlantic City Boys — Savannah Center, April 3 (Thu). Hits of The Four Seasons.
- Simply Tina (Tina Turner Tribute) — Savannah Center, April 4 (Fri). Disney-blessed tribute with authentic costumes and a live band.
- Uncle Kracker — Savannah Center, April 8 (Wed). Multi-platinum country-pop-rock. You know “Follow Me.”
- The Improvised Broadway Musical — The Tracy, April 11 (Sat). The cast builds a brand-new musical on the spot with audience suggestions.
- Hollywood’s Greatest Musicals — Savannah Center, April 14 (Tue). Classic musicals and modern blockbusters on stage.
- Mrs. Doubtfire — The Sharon, April 16–17 (Wed–Thu), 7:30 PM. The Broadway musical. One of the best shows of the season.
- The Village’s Got Magic — Old Mill Playhouse, April 18 (Fri). Eight magicians compete. Audience picks the winner.
- Alex Santoriello’s Legends of Country Rock — Savannah Center, April 28 (Mon). 90 minutes of country rock classics. Tickets from $39.
Full schedule and tickets: thevillagesentertainment.com
More on YouTube
How Expensive is The Villages Florida? (Our 2 Year Costs) Taxes, Insurance & THE BOND! Michael & Tiffany (27.2K subscribers) | 33 min | 50K views https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8XzRatBZg0
The Villages, FL: New Custom Home Construction in Eastport with Rusty Nelson and the New Owners The Villages with Rusty Nelson | 25 min | 9.3K views https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tSUuC8Bp7w
WHAT'S IN YOUR YARD?! HIDDEN GEMS REVEALED! The Villages Florida Newcomers | 37 min | 9.2K views https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQO8Osr4GGo
Are We TOO YOUNG For The Villages Florida? (Full Tour) Chasing Our Sunshine | 13 min | 6.8K views https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF04pKV6ymA
We Almost Locked in The Villages…Then We Ran the Numbers Midlife to Florida | 23 min | 4.9K views https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qWRp701FeQ
Popular Forum Threads
Stop Waiving Carts to Cross Roads at Gates (15,635 views | 136 replies) Golf cart etiquette at the gates sparks a massive debate. Who has the right of way — and should you stop waving people through? https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/stop-waiving-carts-cross-roads-gates-364970/
$80,000,000 Is a Lot Like Real Money… (12,865 views | 107 replies) Residents react to the developer's proposed $80 million settlement in the Villages Health bankruptcy case. https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/80-000-000-lot-like-real-money-365173/
Water Restrictions (7,272 views | 97 replies) Water usage rules and whether they're being enforced — a perennial hot topic that's heating up again. https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/water-restrictions-365193/
Uber from MCO? (6,990 views | 32 replies) Tips, costs, and experiences using Uber to get from Orlando International Airport to The Villages. https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/uber-mco-365224/
Do You Hear Pickleball Noise If You Live Close to a Rec Center??? (5,253 views | 52 replies) A prospective buyer asks the question a lot of people are thinking. The answers might surprise you. https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/do-you-hear-pickleball-noise-if-you-live-close-rec-center-365283/
Dining & New Business
Eastport Restaurants: What’s Open Now (Only Villages) Updated guide to Prime & Embers, Yamas, Portside Coffee, and more. https://onlyvillages.com/eastport-restaurants-the-villages/
New Businesses in The Villages 2025–2026 (Only Villages) Master list of Portillo’s, 4 Rivers, Dunkin’, Piesano’s, and everything else. https://onlyvillages.com/new-businesses-the-villages-2026/
New Restaurants in The Villages Middleton (Only Villages) Middleton dining lineup: Portillo’s, Zunzar, Coffee for the Soul, and 4 Rivers. https://onlyvillages.com/new-restaurants-in-the-villages-middleton-2025/
Note: Some images in this post were created using AI and are for illustrative purposes only. They don't represent actual photos of The Villages.
