S. Tahoe hotel cutting it close to open on time
The Landing Resort in South Lake Tahoe is expected to open Dec. 12. Photos/LTN
By Kathryn Reed
The sound of construction equipment continues to hum from Landing Resort & Spa despite its anticipated opening in two weeks.
Billed as Lake Tahoe’s first five-star resort, the property was once a throwback to “old Tahoe” and now has the makings of a modern, upscale hotel.
It’s expected to open Dec. 12, with introductory room rates of $149 per night for one of the 88 rooms. Rooms come with fireplaces and decks.
While the hotel claims to have private beach access, in reality anyone can pay to go to Lakeside Beach.
Bikes will be free to use. In the winter ski valet and boot warmers are available.
The 3,600-square-foot rooftop deck is designed for parties, weddings and other events.
A pool, hot tub and five outdoor fire pits are on the grounds.
Included on the property, which used to be the Royal Valhalla in South Lake Tahoe near Stateline, is a restaurant called Jimmy’s. It’s based on owner Jim Demetriades’ Mammoth restaurant. Jimmy’s will serve Greek-seafood. Based on the menu out front it will not be a place vegetarians will visit.
British chef Maria Elia will be running the kitchen. She is well versed in Greek cuisine. In September her third cookbook was published. It’s a collection of recipes inspired by her Greek heritage. The restaurant includes private dining alcoves with fireplaces and outdoor fire pits with views of the lake from the patio. The wine list includes 250 labels from around the world.
A mix of about 70 full-time and part-time employees is expected to work at the resort during peak times.
Contractors are still working on the Landing Resort.
However, getting to this point has not been completely smooth.
There is a question as to whether trees were poisoned or more taken out than needed, they’ve angered neighbors, the hotel is already on its second marketing and sales director, and it has dropped a local spa operator in preference of running it in-house.
Controversy has arisen with a neighbor and the fence that now divides the two properties. Plus, the fence was initially put in without a permit.
“Once we were aware that the fence was being constructed, our staff contacted the project manager to notify them of the fence permit requirement. They then submitted an application and a permit was issued. This is not the ideal sequence when it comes to permitting construction work, but we often are notified of, or see work being done without proper permits and once we contact the property owner they follow up with the required permit application,” Hillary Roverud, chief planner with South Lake Tahoe, told Lake Tahoe News.
Jim Promo, general manager of the resort, told Lake Tahoe News the fence issue has been resolved with neighbor Jake Parnell. It’s short in front and at least 6-feet-high in Parnell’s back yard. Parnell used to be able to see to the lake from his back yard. Now he can’t. Parnell, who lives part time in South Tahoe and part time off the hill, had yet to see the fence as of last week so he didn’t have a comment.
Some of the trees that were removed conveniently opened up better views of the lake, especially from where weddings will take place. Promo said weddings are going to be a large component of their business.
“We had an arboriculturist come out. They made recommendations. The trees we took were basically diseased,” Promo said.
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency forester tagged four lodgepole and one Jeffery to be felled.
According to TRPA spokesman Jeff Cowen, one of the trees that came down was because trenching work for a utility line was done on the wrong side of the tree and when it was done on the correct side the tree was then severely compromised.
He said one of the trees was in the city’s right-of-way. It was taken out because it would eventually have to go when the city put in a curb.
More info about the Landing Resort & Spa may be found online.
These guys went out and built whatever they wanted and cut down whatever trees they wanted to improve the views for their new wedding business. The City only found out about it when neighbors complained. This a project that TRPA delegated to the City for permitting, a process about to be significantly increased under the Regional Plan. If you want to see South Lake’s future, this is it, folks. For better or worse…
Something about that place seems slimy. 5 star? I’ll believe it when I see it. I hope it is better than I think, it is a spectacular site though they way they treat their neighbors remains suspect.
Similar happening occurred when a hotel was being built on the San Mateo County coast. Owner wanted to take out a large grove of mature cypress trees. He got permission from the planning department to only take out 110 trees. He then hired a crew who took out the WRONG trees; went back to planning and got another permit to take out the correct trees. In the end, all the trees were removed just like he had originally planned. A slap on the wrist only; no monetary fines for what he did.
Now ten years and several owners later, the hotel is a prominent eyesore. Just nice enough to be a two star, but far from the five star hotel that was initially promised.
Another person who operates on the “better to ask for forgiveness later rather than permission now” premise.
Let’s hope the trees were not actually poisoned, and if they were, fine the developer/owner substantially, add some jail time, and require replanting of new ones.
I see the world through a different perspective.
What was there before was an eyesore. What is being built is gentrification.
While small, this is an example of what Tahoe needs. Dilapidated buildings with deteriorating asphalt makes Tahoe look like a dump.
Kudos to the owners of this property for making an investment in the basin. It’s an example that should be a model for job creation and economic vitality in this region.
The old “by the time we got the trench right, the tree had fallen over” scam.
Oh, and no trees were cut down to make room for the house you live in or the business were you work. Get real, the place looks great and for someone to put money in this ghetto by the meadow is awesome. Great job and good luck!
Agree with AB and Get Real on this one. Though I will say there is considerable distance between claiming to build a five-star place and actually attaining that rating.
Yes yes don’t get me wrong, The Royal Valhalla is in the rearview mirror, that place illustrated all that was wrong with the South Shore, amazing location, but developed during some kind of cultural hangover. I do applaud them for the energy and investment and I’m a tree cutter myself, more sun and views! They need to work on being a better neighbor though and this is no 5 star deal. They won’t even show their buildings on their website…..
I will be interested to see how much more tot is generated.
I keep hearing there are thousands of rich people waiting to come to Tahoe if we had five star lodging. I think the demand is out there but doubt we need to convert the entire town.
The project appears to be a large improvement over the old Valhalla. Warms my heart to see improvement without redevelopment agencies.
I went down to see the 5 Star hotel today
64 parking stalls.
you say there are 88 rooms where are these folks going to park?
maybe across the street at the beach and pay $2.00
per hour more
when Al and then Tom ran the Royal Valhalla it was a nice place
There’s HUGE demand for high end lodging and dining in Tahoe. Look at the Ritz Carlton at Northstar, as an example. A Four Seasons Resort would thrive in Tahoe. Of course, heads would explode at the League to Enslave Lake Tahoe if a Four Seasons Resort were built here. And that’s why the Ritz Carlton was built at Northstar – there was NOTHING TRPA or the League could do to stop it.
I am the Tree Service contractor that removed the trees and they were not poisoned as suggested in the article. All permits were in place with the TRPA giving final approval. The South Lake Tahoe Fire department was initially contacted as was the City building department and they referred the permitting to the TRPA as they have ultimate jurisdiction. The Fire department did a Fire Safe inspection and recommended several of the trees that were overhanging the building be removed but only with approval of the TRPA. The other trees that were removed were either marked by the TRPA or fell under the 14″ DBH rule and were perfectly within the rights of the owner to remove. The tree that had to be removed due to the trenching was marked by the TRPA before the trenching began and the owners wanted to save it by trenching on the other side but it had to be removed anyway as it was causing damage to the building. Everything was done according to the law and MOU the City has with the TRPA and Fire Department, nothing was poisoned nor taken out without all permits in place prior to removal. I have been a Tree contractor in this town since 1981 as well as an Arborist and do not skirt the law as we and I am heavily scrutinized in this town. I also did tree trimming on the house next door at the same time without any problems. As far as the house with the fence is concerned the owner of the new hotel was well within his right to do what he did and the homeowner was contacted prior to removal. To the best of my knowledge the homeowner could not see the lake in the first place as there is a building in front. There is only one house next door that can see the lake. Everything was permitted, legal and all documents were in place prior to removal. We also did all the construction debris removal from the interior buildings for the contractors on site to complete their work. All of my workers were local and they made decent wages which were spent in town. I have every licensed required by the Federal, State and local level entities including OSHA, DOT, Lead Certified, EDD, Contractors Board, City Business Lic, El Dorado County Business License and Workmans Comp. Thank You for allowing me to clear this up. Ken Curtzwiler owner operator of Skibumfamily Inc. dba K & K Tree Services. Established in 1981 by Kenny and my son Kaleb.
Next, buy out Tahoe meadows!!! parking next to US 50 and a Beautiful board walk and lakeside shops and restaurants. It is a shame that the only view from South Lake Tahoe is the whiplash glimsp you get at 40 mph on the lakeview curve. Clean this place up!!! Go mountain style and be a world class resort. Casinos are Ghetto the lake, The sking and its beauty will bring the tourists…..