The Grand (formerly The Grand) is a 45+ active adult retirement community in Arizona's West Valley, located in Surprise, AZ — about 18 miles northwest of Phoenix and just across Grand Avenue from Sun City West. Developed by Del Webb from 1996–2005, it was the third master-planned retirement community Del Webb built in Arizona — the successor to Sun City and Sun City West. Roughly 20,000+ residents live in approximately 9,800 homes across 50 distinct Del Webb floor plans, organized into 6 collections (Classic, Cottage, Courtyard / Vacation Villa, Premier, Estate, and Garden Villa). At least one resident must be 55+, with up to 15% of homes occupied by owners 45–54. No permanent resident may be under 19. The community spans 4,000 acres with 63 distinct neighborhoods.
Residents have full access to 4 recreation facilities at the central Village Center: Sonoran Plaza (a 9,000 sq ft ballroom for dances, performances, and events), Adobe Spa & Fitness Center (state-of-the-art gym, indoor lap pool, indoor walking track, and outdoor resort pool), Cimarron Center (fitness rooms and the full-service Cimarron Day Spa), and Palm Center (visitor's center and the community-run TV studio — unique to The Grand). Add 4 championship golf courses (Desert Springs, Granite Falls North, Granite Falls South, and Cimarron — all 18 holes, designed by Billy Casper and Greg Nash), a 31-acre lake, pickleball, tennis, bocce, lawn bowling, a softball field, hiking trails, and 50+ chartered clubs. Main Street inside the community has shops, an ice cream and coffee shop, and a full-service restaurant. Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center sits on the eastern edge along Bell Road.
Unlike Sun City West (which has no master HOA), The Grand has a single master HOA called The Grand CAM (Community Association Management). Every homeowner pays the $1,921 annual assessment (which includes 2 Activity Cards per household) plus a one-time $5,000 C.A.R.E. Fee at closing. That funds the rec centers, golf, common areas, and long-term capital reserves.
Some property types pay extra dues layered on top: Garden Villa owners add $679/year, Courtyard/Vacation Villa owners add $731/year (both cover exterior maintenance and landscaping), and La Solana condo owners pay monthly sub-HOA dues from $223 to $444 depending on the model. See the Community Fees page for the full breakdown.
What gives The Grand its character is the deliberate resort lifestyle and the engaged resident community. The community-run Palm Center TV studio produces residents-only programming. The Visitor's Center at Palm runs daily tours for prospective buyers. Volunteer-driven clubs cover everything from hiking and golf to model railroads, woodworking, photography, and Mahjong. The Grand sold out in record time during the 2005–2006 Arizona boom and has appreciated steadily ever since. Most residents move in already knowing they want the upscale, polished, golf-cart-everywhere lifestyle — and rarely move out.
Buyers comparing The Grand vs. Sun City West, or considering other Arizona retirement communities like PebbleCreek, Trilogy at Vistancia, or Corte Bella, consistently come back to The Grand for three reasons: newer home stock (1996–2005, mostly larger and more open floor plans), a single predictable HOA fee structure (no per-person rec card surprises for couples), and upscale positioning — bigger Estate-tier homes, more golf course views, and a more polished overall feel than the older Sun City communities. Lona King was Del Webb's Senior Contract Director here from 1993–2004 — present for the original community planning and the entire build-out. Her depth of knowledge on which neighborhoods were built when, which lots have the best views, and which floor plans hold value best is unmatched.
The Grand sits in Arizona's West Valley, just north of Bell Road and west of the Loop 303 — about 25 miles northwest of downtown Phoenix.
Every question on this list came from a real client conversation with Lona. Click any question to expand the answer.
Yes. At least one resident in each home must be 55 or older. Up to 15% of homes are allowed to have owners 45–54. No permanent resident may be under 19. Grandchildren and family can visit freely — there's no limit on visitors of any age, and the rec centers allow accompanied children during designated times.
The C.A.R.E. Fee (Community And Resident Enhancement) is a one-time fee paid by the buyer at close of escrow on every resale. As of 2026 it's $5,000. The money funds long-term capital improvements and maintenance of community amenities — rec centers, golf courses, common areas. It's separate from the annual HOA assessment and from any sub-HOA fees on La Solana or villa products. See the Community Fees page for full detail.
$1,921 per household per year (2026). This is the all-in master HOA assessment and includes 2 Activity Cards — meaning a couple is covered under the single household fee, unlike Sun City West which charges $598 per person on title. For a couple, SCG total annual dues are $1,921 versus SCW's $1,196. For a single owner, SCW is the cheaper option. Most buyers comparing the two pick based on home age and which rec center feels like home.
Yes — unlike Sun City West, The Grand has a single master HOA called The Grand CAM (Community Association Management). All homeowners pay the $1,921 annual assessment. The Garden Villas and Courtyard Villas pay an extra annual fee on top ($679 and $731 respectively) for exterior maintenance. La Solana condos have their own monthly sub-HOA dues ranging from $223 to $444 depending on the model.
CC&Rs (Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions) are the community's rulebook. In SCG they cover: exterior paint colors (must be from approved palette), landscape standards (no grass front yards in most areas), parking (no commercial vehicles or RVs in driveways or visible RV parking), home additions and modifications (need Architectural Review approval — $170 fee at close), pets (most allow up to 2 dogs, no exotic animals), and rentals (allowed but with HOA notification and age compliance). The architectural review process here is more active than at SCW — plan ahead before exterior changes.
The Grand sits entirely within the Dysart Unified School District. Unlike Sun City West (split between a no-school-tax zone and a school district zone), every SCG home pays the same Dysart school tax. Total property tax runs roughly 0.55%–0.70% of full cash value, generally $2,500–$3,150/year on a $450K home. No "older vs expansion" tax surprises like SCW has.
Yes, rentals are allowed. Tenants must comply with the 45+ age restriction. Tenant Activity Cards are required and scale with lease length: $200 for a 1–3 month lease, $300 for 4–6 months, $500 for 7–12 months. Many SCG homeowners use the property as a winter residence and rent spring through summer. Check your specific sub-association rules (La Solana, villas) before assuming.
Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center is on the eastern edge of the community on Bell Road — a major hospital with full ER, surgical, and cardiac services. Banner Boswell Medical Center is about 10 minutes east in Sun City. Both are highly rated for senior care. Multiple specialty clinics, urgent cares, and pharmacies are clustered along Bell Road. Most residents can reach a primary care office in under 10 minutes by golf cart.
Yes. Licensed golf carts are street-legal on all internal SCG roads. Many residents use carts as their primary local transport — to the rec centers, the four golf courses, restaurants, the Village Center, and even across to Sun City West via the underpass on Grand Avenue. Carts must be registered and insured per AZ law.
Four championship courses, all included with your HOA assessment at resident greens fees: Desert Springs (the original 1996 par-72, 7,006-yard course), Granite Falls North, Granite Falls South, and Cimarron. All four are 18 holes. Designed by Billy Casper and Greg Nash. Reciprocal golf cart access to Sun City West's seven courses is available across Grand Avenue.
The Grand's amenity hub is the Village Center, connecting four major facilities: Sonoran Plaza (9,000 sq ft ballroom for events and performances), Adobe Spa & Fitness Center (gym, indoor lap pool, indoor walking track, outdoor resort pool), Cimarron Center (fitness rooms, full-service day spa), and Palm Center (visitor's center and the community-run TV studio — unique to The Grand). Pickleball, tennis, bocce, lawn bowling, and a 31-acre lake round out the outdoor amenities.
Sun City West was the second Del Webb community (1978–1997), 16,900 homes, 152 floor plans, 7 golf courses, no master HOA. The Grand is the third (1996–2005), 9,800 homes, 50 floor plans, 4 golf courses, single master HOA at $1,921/year. SCG homes are newer with more modern layouts but cost more on average. SCW has more amenity variety and lower per-person fees for singles. Most buyers tour both. Lona has helped clients buy in both communities for over 30 years — including her role as Del Webb's Senior Contract Director here from 1993–2004.
The Grand has 50 distinct Del Webb floor plans across 6 collections: Classic (11 plans), Cottage (3), Courtyard / Vacation Villa (4), Premier (16), Estate (13), and Garden Villa (3). The Iris, Cypress, Kiva, and Willow are among the most-traded plans in our 17-year database. Most are single-story 2-bedroom / 2-bathroom homes between 1,100 and 3,400 square feet. Use our Floor Plan Library to browse all 50 with original construction drawings.
Del Webb rebranded The Grand as 'The Grand' in 2018 to differentiate it from the original Sun City and Sun City West, and to signal the more upscale positioning of the newer community. Locally, residents still use both names interchangeably. The legal community name on title and HOA documents remains The Grand. We use both throughout this site.