Loft designed to be a magical experience in SLT

By Kathryn Reed

It takes some imagination to appreciate what The Loft will be like in a month. The hum of machinery echoes through the vacant building. A hole has been punched through the third floor of the parking garage.

Contractors are busy working their magic to create what will be an original South Lake Tahoe entertainment venue. About $1 million is being spent to turn what had been a vacant section of the Heavenly Village into what will be part theater, part restaurant and part lounge.

The Loft is Paul Reder’s baby. Reder, who runs PR Entertainment on the South Shore, is known for having brought Fusion magic shows to Stateline starting in 2003. Magic Fusion is the show that will take center stage at The Loft.

Reder and Tony Clark are the producers, with Clark also being the star. He will be the main attraction for the first 60 to 90 days. Twice Clark has earned magician of the year accolades from the International Magicians Society. In 2010, the two won the Merlin Award for producer of the year. In the world of magic this is like winning an Academy Award.

“We will rotate world-class performers through Magic Fusion through Tony’s direction,” Reder told Lake Tahoe News. “You are not going to see the same show twice because a lot of what is done is based on the audience.”

Shows are designed to be appealing to all ages. The 107-seat theater is intimate. It is awash in red, will have floor to ceiling curtains. Comfort was placed ahead of capacity when it came to choosing the seats, Reder said.

A large television will be above the stage so people have a close-up view of the magician’s hands to see every trick as it unfolds.

What is unique with this stage is that it is two sided. When the magic is happening in the theater, bar and restaurant patrons will see what looks like a repurposed barn door. It will open when the theater is dark to become a stage for bands or other entertainment.

To the left of that door will be the glass wine case. Farther left is the seated bar area, which will be backlit in gold. High-end wines and handcrafted cocktails are being touted.

Two indoor fireplaces, overstuffed couches and metal chain dividers for intimacy – for couples or groups – are incorporated into the design.

Environmental entertainers will be sauntering through the restaurant and lounge. They will perform slight of hand magic so even if people aren’t seeing a show that night they get a taste for the main attraction.

There are two entrances to The Loft. The ground floor, where the box office will be located, is across from the ice rink in the middle of storefronts between Starbucks and the movie theater. Stairs and an elevator will take people to the third floor.

This entrance will immediately say magic based on memorabilia that will decorate the walls.

The other way to enter is via the third floor of the parking garage.

One of Reder’s desires was to have the work be done by locals.

Architect Brian Shinault had 5,700-square-feet of space to work with. It is an extremely horizontal shape.

Carpenters working for general contractor Mike Bailey were busy this week getting the room ready for the Dec. 11 install of all the furniture and accessories. On Monday, Bryan Kambitsch was assembling the crystal chandelier one piece at a time.

Carol Faccinetti is the interior designer.

Her approach to any project is to ask a lot of questions so she can transform the area to her client’s liking. With The Loft, it is a bit retro and vintage, with leather, iron and reclaimed wood.

“I really don’t think there is a lounge space like this in Tahoe,” Faccinetti told Lake Tahoe News. “It has a whole urban look, with pipes showing in the ceiling. I like the materials and the product. It will be a fun space.”

Lisa Devincenzi-Miller has the executive chef duties. She owns Capisce in Round Hill. The Italian recipes she brings to the table are family secrets passed down from her great-grandmother.

“Nothing is out of a box,” Reder said. It’s fresh food made daily, with ingredients often being imported from Italy.

With this being on the California side, it means no smoking or gaming anywhere inside.

Reder has a 10-year lease with a five-year option from Gary Casteel of Trans Sierra Investments, who owns the Heavenly Village. The two have known each other for years and have talked about creating something like this for at least a decade.

“At this point they are exceeding our expectations,” Casteel told Lake Tahoe News.

He believes The Loft will round out the amenities offered at the village that locals and tourists will enjoy.

“We have become more of a lifestyle center and downtown district for South Lake Tahoe,” Casteel said of the entire village.

While the venue will open in mid-December, not all the work will be done by then. Plans are to move the bungee jumping apparatus that is set up in the summer to another part of the village. This area will then be transformed into outdoor seating for Loft guests, which will likely include fire pits.

There is one tiny balcony that a couple people could stand on to look out onto the ice rink. This was designed to make it look like the Marriott properties. Reder and Casteel one day would like to explore making this a functional deck area.

The Loft will have a soft opening Dec. 15 for the restaurant and lounge. The first magic show is set for Dec. 19.

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Notes:

·      Tickets are available online.

·      There will be an 8pm show on Monday and Tuesday, 7 and 9pm shows Thursday-Sunday. The theater is dark Wednesdays.

·      There will be a special New Year’s Eve package.

·      The restaurant and lounge will be open seven days from 4pm-2am.

·      Loft guests will pay $1/hour in the garage instead of the regular $3.75/hour.