Stateline event center relying on higher bed tax
By Kathryn Reed
STATELINE – Hotel guests in Stateline are going to help fund the special events center that is going to be built on the front parking lot of MontBleu at Highway 50.
The Tahoe Douglas Visitors Authority board this week approved raising the Douglas County lodging license fee. Now the county commissioners must OK the increase. That board is likely to hear the issue in December. This does not have to go to the voters.
The current fee is 3 percent. It would increase to 4 percent. Hotel guests also pay a 10 percent transient occupancy tax. The total 14 percent, if approved, would be the same rate guests would be paying in the redevelopment area of South Lake Tahoe if Measure P passes in November.
All of the money collected in Stateline would stay at the lake specifically for the planning, construction and operation of the facility.
The parking lot at MontBleu could become an events center. Photo/LTN
In January the county created a redevelopment area that basically encompasses the casino area to Kahle Drive. With Edgewood Lodge and Tahoe Beach Club being built, this will bring added revenues to the county to help raise money for the entertainment venue.
Originally the event center had been envisioned for the other side of the street and was going to be a 6,000- to 7,500-seat indoor-outdoor venue. After further study the MontBleu site was deemed best. It will be totally indoors, seating between 4,000 and 5,000 people.
The actual land is owned by Edgewood Companies.
Douglas County, Edgewood Companies and the casino properties have been talking about a performing arts center at Stateline for years. The casino showrooms cannot hold that many people and the Harveys outdoor facility is seasonal.
“The community recognized that group activities benefit tourism. And it is consistent with the transition of the economy from a gaming based model to a resort destination, recreation based model,” Lew Feldman, attorney for TDVA, told Lake Tahoe News.
As of today, TDVA would own and operate the facility. The goal is to drive more people to Tahoe, especially in the off-season.
Also at the Oct. 12 board meeting $12,060 was allocated for a parking analysis.
Board members Mike Bradford (representing Lakeside Inn) and Nancy McDermid (Douglas County) were appointed to the subcommittee to deal with the entertainment venue issues. They have the authority to spend up to $100,000, though that could be multiple $100,000 expenditures. Allocating money for a design fee will likely be an immediate need after the parking study is done.
Ah yes, more people in Tahoe, more traffic, more tourists in our neighborhoods, fantastic ! And of course, Nevada’s reason to push the loop road. Off season, we don’t want no stinking off season, pack the tourists into Tahoe on a daily basis. We’ll rename Tahoe, Sac East !
Since this is in Nevada the South Lake Tahoe, CA naysayers won’t have any control.
There are already 3 roads into Nevada. How does the loop road benefit Nevada?
This facility will for the first time ever provide an opportunity to stabilize business year round providing local residents with much improved year-round employment.
Project looks good for more jobs in NV. but no housing for those folks. Nevada should start providing housing for all those jobs, that CA. has provided for over 50 years not to mention the social cost CA. has paid for.
The event center will keep more of the existing local population working year round and provide them with an opportunity to improve their lives.
We already have music events all summer long at Harvey’s and Montbleu that local residents/employees benefit from,why not do it all year long? Doing nothing is better for the local community? Maybe from your perspective not mine. This would be a huge opportunity and your argument is no reason to stop progress and opportunity for local residents. It is one more reason to get more housing.
The status quo is simply not acceptable.
The project is good but let’s provide housing in NV. first, not last or never.