Michael Ray, Walkie Ray and Chase Sanderson are used to putting up $50 million shopping centers. But now they are working on a project that will cost 10 times more,a 70-acre resort complex next to the Indian Wells tennis stadium. “This will be true luxury, better than anything else in the Coachella Valley,” Mike says. Their Irvine-based Sanderson J. Ray is planning a 300,000-square-foot entertainment/retail center (Morton’s has committed), 60 high-end homes and a resort featuring a 150-room hotel and 220 condos. SJR will develop the shopping center. Woodbridge Homes will build the homes (to include nearby golf and tennis privileges). SJR is seeking “the right luxury hotel partner” for the resort portion. “The city wants this,” Mike says of the project. The goal is to complete government approvals in six months and break ground in 18. The brothers Ray also are helping the city of Irvine with the Great Park …
There could be a jam-up at OC’s presidential-candidate ATM: Giuliani was checking in Sunday, followed by Romney and Obama today and McCain Tuesday …
Hubbie Wylie may be backing John Edwards, but Bette Aitken is for Hillary, as are Judy Rosener and Elaine Weinberg …
Harriett Wieder took in the opening night of “Hamlet” at SCR, of course, but she’ll slow the social schedule the next two weeks as she undergoes heavy radiation for “that tumor” at UC San Diego’s Moore Clinic. The co-Grand Dame of OC politics sounds upbeat, noting it’s early stage lung cancer and she’s using a promising treatment called stereotactic body radiation therapy: “I feel like I’m blazing a trail” …
OC’s other political Grand Dame, Marian Bergeson, just went skydiving …
Chapman U Prof Marv Meyer (“Gospel of Judas”) is back from Egypt, where he was part of a Discovery Channel special on Jesus slated to air at Christmastime …
Augie’s Quest (www.augiesquest.org) now has raised $10 million for research into ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Fitness legend Augie Nieto was stricken with the progressive illness in March of 2005. He has lost use of his hands, but special software enables him to type 45 words a minute with his feet. He keeps busy online and is working on a book, to be published by Bloomsbury in October …
With Augie and Lynne Nieto attending, Paul and Marybelle Musco presenting, Ed Arnold emceeing, Chuck Dreyer auctioneering and Ruth Ko being honored, the Gift of Hope gala raised a record $554,000 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association Summer Camp …
On the heels of Sally Anderson’s appointment, Gov. Arnold has put another OCer on the California State Board of Accountancy,Manny Ramirez, head of Ramirez International in Irvine …
Miocean’s Blue 42 gala has sold out a month in advance, raising $600,000 with more to come: Big-ticket auction items include a Rolls Royce Phantom Special Edition valued at $355,000.
