Then and now: Laurel Avenue disappears
South Lake Tahoe is missing a street — Laurel Avenue.
The Thunderbird Lodge was prominent on Laurel Avenue in the 1960s. Photo/South Lake Tahoe
The Thunderbird Motel stood at 4123 Laurel Avenue near the state line.
Laurel Avenue ran diagonally between Friday Avenue, where the yellow X is, and Stateline Avenue, at about mid-Harveys. Photo/Google
The remains of the Thunderbird at 4123 Laurel Ave. on April 19, 2007. Photo/Bill Kingman
In 2007, the Chateau project called for the removed of all buildings on Laurel Avenue and the avenue itself. At that time the development was to be two hotels, a convention center, retail and open space. At more than $400 million it was to be the most expensive development project in the history of South Lake Tahoe. That was pre-bankruptcy.
The X marks where Laurel Avenue was. Photo/Google/April 2015
Renamed Zalanta, one of the hotels is under construction. Photo/Bill Kingman
The last Laurel Avenue street sign. Photo/Bill Kingman
The final vestige of Laurel Avenue — its street sign — was removed in November 2015.
— Bill Kingman
In 2007, the Chateau project……At more than $400 MILLION it was to be the most expensive development project in the history of SLT. That was PRE-bankruptcy.
The City of SLT was incorporated in 1965, the Sahara Tahoe and the Tahoe Nugget opened in 1965.
By 1969 Nathan S. Jacobson had built and opened the King’s Castle in Incline Village. The Incline Village Hotel and casino across the street closed.
Nate hirewd Rand Corporation mathematician Jess Marcum to oversee the ‘numbers’. While Marcum pored over the spread sheets of data Jacobson flew back and forth between Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe.
Jacobson bankrupted the King’s Castle when the Winter of 1974 arrived taking MANY MANY local small business’ with him. There is a long corrupt story here between the Sahara Tahoe and Jacobson.
Hopefully the City of SLT does not let ANYone that had ANYthing to do with the original Chateau project have anything to do with it this go round.
What goes round comes round and heere it comes.
Bill, always enjoy then and now. (Never forget OLS)
Bill…I too love Then and Now:)TY
Do you happen to have any of those Then and Now photo’s of Round Hill Shopping Center in Zephyr Cove, Nv?
Kenny, thanks for the reminder…
RIP. OLS