Cooper Communities Praised by Magazine

Bella Vista-based Cooper Communities had all five of its planned retirement communities listed among Where to Retire magazine’s America’s 100 Best Master-Planned Communities.

Cooper owns Bella Vista and Hot Springs Village in Arkansas, Stonebridge Village near Branson, Mo., Tellico Village, Tenn., and Savannah Lakes Village, S.C. The communities are not age-restricted and do offer a wide array of leisure amenities.

Cooper listed its assets at $308 million in 1999 with revenues totaling $142 million

The magazine did eight years of research and interviews before publishing its list. Its criteria for the list included stable communities with new homes or homesites available, climate, geography, proximity to small and mid-sized towns and cost of living.

Bella Vista offers eight lakes and 10 parks for its residents. Hot Springs Village has six lakes and 14 miles of nature and hiking trails.

“We’re thrilled and delighted,” said Randy Brucker, president and chief executive officer of Cooper Land Development Inc. “This is an honor we are proud to receive.

“All Cooper Communities are open to families with children, as well as to people looking for a great place to retire. That’s part of what makes our communities such great places to live. They have real neighborhoods, with young people, seniors and everyone in between.”

There are several companies under the Cooper Communities umbrella, including Cooper Land Development, Cooper Homes and CooperShare Resorts.