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July 15, 2020                                                                                      Lisa M. Barnott, 941.757.1542

                                                                                                                 lisa.barnott@lakewoodranch.com

LAKEWOOD RANCH RECEIVES “BEST HEALTH & FITNESS” RECOGNITION

Ideal-LIVING, a Southern living and real estate magazine, recently named Lakewood Ranch to its “Best Health & Fitness Community category in the fifth annual “Best of the Best” issue. The community was recognized for its wellness-centered master planning, extensive recreational amenities, and health-conscious lifestyle program.

“When the editors of ideal-LIVING looked at top communities with some of the best health and fitness opportunities, Lakewood Ranch immediately came to mind,” said Kelly Godbey, editor and associate publisher. “From its many amenities including golf, tennis, pickleball, parks, and walking trails, to yoga in the park, as well as the open-air farmers’ market and on-site medical care, the entire community is built around fitness.”

Surveys were collected at the 2020 ideal-LIVING real estate shows that showcased the top amenities in which potential homebuyers were interested. The top 100 amenity communities were chosen based on the top amenities requested, including walking trails, wellness facilities, proximity to healthcare, social clubs, swimming, a sense of community, cycling, racquet sports, gated, lake communities, and coastal communities.

A special editorial committee assembled by the publication reviewed the qualifications of each nominee and selected the winners in 12 categories.

“We are honored to be named as a ‘Best Health & Fitness’ community by ideal-LIVING magazine,” said Laura Cole, senior vice president of LWR Communities. “In these uncertain times, home buyers are placing a higher priority on connectivity, open space, and an active lifestyle. Lakewood Ranch has all the qualities and conveniences of an established town with the added benefit of resort-level recreational amenities in your own neighborhood. It’s plug and play here!”

Last year, ideal-LIVING recognized Lakewood Ranch in the “Best Wellness Community” category, due in part to The Ranch’s collaboration with The Academy for Brain Health and Performance and Massachusetts General Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital, on The Brain Health Initiative project. The Ranch’s CORE (Collaboration Opportunities for Research and Exploration) campus, a 305-acre research park which includes 971,000 square feet for STEM-focused academic partners, world-class research facilities, and the collaboration between new and emerging markets that focus on research, health, and education, was also cited.

“The ‘Best of the Best‘ feature honors those areas and communities which deserve special recognition for their outstanding qualities, facilities, and programs,” Godbey said. “During the challenging times, we hope that this special feature in our summer 2020 edition offers our readers a chance to find a better quality of life in a safer environment. Lifestyle is now more important than ever before and with many people able to work from home gives the ability to relocate sooner than they thought possible.”

The Top 100 Planned Communities are posted on www.ideal-LIVING.com/bestofthebest. For more information on Lakewood Ranch or CORE at Lakewood Ranch contact Lisa Barnott at lisa.barnott@lakewoodranch.com.

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About Lakewood Ranch

Lakewood Ranch is the 33,000+-acre award-winning master-planned community in Sarasota and Manatee counties on the West Coast of Florida. Just minutes from the Gulf Coast beaches and cultural assets in Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch is already home to more than 41,000 residents and features A-rated schools, the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, the Sarasota Polo Club, the 75-acre Premier Sports Campus, its own Main Street with theaters, shopping and dining, and more than four million square feet of commercial property, including CORE, a life science business campus that focuses on research, health, and education. For more information visit www.lakewoodranch.com.

About ideal-LIVING magazine

For more than 25 years, ideal-LIVING magazine has been a leading national publication for readers who are nearing retirement age or who are interested in the benefits of relocating their families or businesses. The magazine’s parent company, RPI Media, also distributes other publications like the comprehensive ideal-LIVING Choose Your Ideal Place Guide and sponsors the company’s signature ideal-LIVING Real Estate Shows each year. For more information, go to the website at www.ideal-LIVING.com.