I played SC earlier this week and wanted to weigh in. This is the 4th time I've played it but the first time in 15 years. I wanted to see the changes Tom Fazio did which I believe is now almost 5 years ago.
Personally I don't see it as a top 100 course anymore. It's repetitive nature and lack of variety killed it for me. Nearly every hole sit in pushed up valleys and greens with moundings, trees and oleanders bushes pushed up behind. To me it reeks as 1980s architecture.
My caddie was excited about the new contour of the greens? I don't remember the old greens being that boring but the new greens aren't much better. Only the short par 4 11th hole had any real movement.
Fazio did remove a few hundred trees, moved a few greens, sand capped the course (of course), as well as repositioned a few tees and added a few more for length. The course now has bermuda fairways and bent greens. I would grade the conditioning as above average but not like it was when Steve Wynn had control. The Quarry at La Quinta is much better conditioned for a desert golf course.
The story I was told was during construction they left the gates open and coyotes entered the property. The result is the birds are now gone.