SunWest, formerly the SunWest Mine, was a limestone mine business in Hudson, Florida, that is in the planning stages of redevelopment. The owner is seeking to build residences and, with the involvement of Pasco County, for a wakeboarding recreational facility and a new Pasco County park.
A 2006 proposal entitled Sunwest Harbor Towne called for 2,400 homes on the 2,263 acres west of U.S. 19 on Old Dixie Highway. Concerns were raised about the potential destruction of bear and other wildlife habitat as well as arsenic levels found on a piece of land previously given to the county to settle bankruptcy claims. As of April 2014, negotiations were ongoing with contractors to develop a park at the property.
On July 4, 2015, SunWest Park opened their doors. The county developed facilities (sandy beach, paved parking lot, restrooms) but brought in a private operator to lease the vending rights. Dissimilar to other government owned-privately operated relationships, the private operator is also in charge of facilities maintenance and upkeep, receiving no assistance from the county. This is unlike standard county parks, where the county parks staff cuts grass, grooms sand, cleans restrooms, empties trash, etc. The private operator has also brought in recreational amenity activities, include an Aqua Park, paddleboards, kayaks, beach volleyball courts, and wakeboard cable systems (still being finished as of November 2016).