South Shore economy bouncing back
By Bill O’Driscoll, Reno Gazette-Journal
Tourism on the south end of Lake Tahoe has taken hits in recent times, from ski season-sapping drought to tribal casinos in the California foothills.
Now the region is fighting back. More than a dozen businesses, from high-rise hotel-casinos at Stateline to the small retailers in South Lake Tahoe, have finished or are proceeding with a collective $150 million in renovations, according to industry figures.
And the timing couldn’t be better, officials say, with the summer season unfolding and broad economic recovery underway.
“It’s all kind of coming together at a time when people feel better about traveling and spending more money,” said Carol Chaplin, executive director of the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority. “We’re kind of threading the needle.”
She also cites the timing of JetBlue Airways’ new nonstop flights from New York City to Reno-Tahoe International Airport, the main gateway to Tahoe.