Douglas inches toward revamping Stateline
The event venue on this South Shore Vision Plan rendering, in blue on the right, is being studied. Rendering/Design Workshop
By Kathryn Reed
STATELINE – A 6,000- to 7,500-seat indoor-outdoor event center on the South Shore is gaining traction.
The South Tahoe Alliance of Resorts has put up $100,000 for feasibility and blight studies for the project. The blight study is because it would be considered a redevelopment project. Within the next few months a decision is likely as to whether this is something worth pursuing.
“It needs to be walkable to Stateline from California,” Mike Bradford, with STAR, told Lake Tahoe News. That is one of the preliminary findings.
This has a lot to do with if the venue were to be used as a convention center-meeting place, because California agencies must rent rooms in the state even if they convene elsewhere.
That is why the original Chateau project in South Lake Tahoe was going to have a convention center – to attract the business-tourist market.
In the South Shore Vision Plan that was created in 2011, and funded by STAR, it calls for such an event center to be built behind what is now Lake Tahoe Hard Rock. But a plot of land behind MontBleu is now also under consideration.
Originally, it was to be completely an indoor facility, but that thinking has changed. It could be more similar to what those on the North Shore envision to be built at Northstar.
Bradford said Harrah’s-Harveys is on board with the idea, knowing the outdoor concert series at Harveys’ parking lot would move to the new venue. A bit of irony is Harrah’s at one time was going to be the driving force behind the convention center project in South Lake Tahoe, but declined to do so.
The new facility could possibly generate more than $20 million in annual revenue. More exact numbers will come from the feasibility study. Who would own and operate it are other factors to be worked out.
If things pencil out, then STAR will take its findings to the Douglas County commissioners.
Support for the loop road and better connectivity was voiced Feb. 19 at the Douglas County Commission meeting. Rendering/Design Workshop
On Feb. 19 this events center was alluded to more than once as commissioners received updates on the Countywide Connectivity Transportation System, and Recreation and Tourism Plan.
All 13 speakers want the commissioners to go forward with the connectivity plan – namely the loop road that ties Douglas County and South Lake Tahoe in the casino area – and the greater South Shore Vision Plan. And while the electeds support the idea, they question whether the broader community will support the plan when it comes to funding.
Commissioner Greg Lyon expects a “hurricane” of backlash to come from the valley. That is because raising taxes is how it will likely be paid.
Douglas County has the Nevada Legislature’s permission to implement a 2.5 percent utility operator fee that would raise $2 million, a 5-cent fuel tax to generate $900,000 and a 25-cent sales tax to raise $1.5 million. The money would benefit the lake and valley.
County officials say that nearly $5 million could become $50 million after bonding and then it could be used as a 25 percent match. (Gone are the days where state and federal dollars come without the need for local dollars.) This was then broken down to be $4.84 per month per resident (not household), with one-third of the money coming from tourists.
Commissioners took no action Thursday.
Staff, though, envisions one of the top priorities being the loop road. Every Stateline casino is behind it based on testimony Feb. 19, as are Edgewood Companies, Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel and Heavenly Mountain Resort.
Other priorities are: Highway 395 Main Street revitalization, an alternate truck route, Ranchos connectivity path, and airport multi-modal regional transit. The county would need $22 million, with the remainder from other sources, according to staff.
The event center also ties into the recreation plan as a venue.
Kahle Community Park is a money generating facility at Stateline.
Douglas County used the same consulting firm – MIG out of Oregon – as South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County did for their recreation master plan. They were done at the same time in order to look at the greater needs of the entire South Shore.
Cindy Mendoza with MIG gave a presentation to the commissioners on Thursday, saying the No. 1 key project is the event center.
Signage is another important thing to let people know where recreation facilities are and then to explain to people where they could get to on a particular trail and what the mileage is.
While Kahle Community Center’s long-term plan was to have an aquatic center, Mendoza said with South Lake Tahoe looking at a leisure type swimming pool at its rec center then Douglas County might instead consider expanding its gym.
The goal is to have the recreation facilities on both sides of the state line be for everyone on the South Shore, and then be used in a coordinated manner to attract athletic events.
Scott Morgan, who heads the recreation department for Douglas, would not say if the vacant Kingsbury Middle School might still be an option for the county when it comes to expanding facilities. That Stateline site has sat vacant for years with not one person or entity putting in an offer to buy it.
Indoor tennis courts at Zephyr Cove Park are still on the books. Morgan told Lake Tahoe News the new library director does not oppose such a scenario, but added that it would not happen anytime soon. The library last year allowed the Zephyr Cove Tennis Club Foundation to transform part of the building, which sits next to the courts, into a pro shop.
This is all good, but what about the homes that will be affected by the loop road. No mention is made for them. 59 properties will be directly affected as shown in the Right of Way Impacts Documents. These residents homes will have to be purchased at “fair market value”. Or will eminent domain prevail? At an open community meeting I attended since my house would be affected I questioned them about the marketability of my home since the possibility of my home being destroyed for the building of the loop road would have to be disclosed to potential buyers. The land lawyer present who was representing the Transportation board said that legally, now this potential is real I would have to disclose it. Also if it affects the sale of my home that technically the Transportation District is legally liable to purchase my home against the “potential project” affecting its marketability. When I stated I wanted to sell my home now and would the District be in a position to purchase it, the answer was no, they have no money to purchase houses at that time. Do they have it now? My home is still affected. Is this going to become a huge legal boondoggle where the homeowner gets screwed because they do not have the finances to “fight city hall?” Lets not forget that the city has just spent millions of dollars revamping Pioneer Trail with street lights, sidewalks and water drainage systems. Now that is to be torn out back to somewhere between Glenn and Midway Roads. And how about other homeowners whose lifestyles and property values will be disrupted with the new 8 lane (yes, check it out, that is what the plan calls for) highway gracing their front yards.
Oh yea, $4.84 per month per resident in increased tax base to fund the bond. This would be for something that is going to directly benefit the casinos. If it is going to be such a great revenue generator it sounds like a great investment. Why not have the Casinos themselves put up the $5 million needed to fund the bond? Petty cash for them.
Dale, Oh yeah, another consulting firm brought in telling the politicians and planning agencies, committees, and of course lastly, the taxpayers and residents who have the most to lose, that this is what we need!
A loop road? That will affect hundreds of residents and busnesses in a negative way?
A grandiose plan that will hurt many and make a profit for a few. A reverse robin hood, stealing from the poor and middle class to fill the overflowing pockets of the wealthy.
I say NO to the loop road!!! OLS
It’s pretty, I like the look of it :)
HUGE hurdles: Money, Eminent Domain, and still it looks like traffic will be an issue as you will be taking 6 lanes of road down to 4+ 2 very slow lanes through a pedestrian village. (I’m assuming they would increase the Lake parkway lanes to 4 from the 2 currently?)
This project is a long and treacherous road, and if you can’t get the community on board, almost impossible, maybe that’s the “key”.
Owning a home near commercial property is always risky.
the Marvelous Makeover marches forward.
This article is really about what the Nevada side wants to do. There will be no eminent domain as the city won’t touch that hot potato, and neither will anyone else. The $4.84 tax is only for Douglas count, it would not be for SLT or myers
Nevada wants this project let them pay for All of it. They want an airport and we (the city) pays for All of it. What goes around comes around. Save time and money and just clean up what we have. There is plenty of walkable space on the CA side of Stateline.
Good job Nevada. The clean up and modernization of the Stateline corridor and the revitalization of crumbling infrastructures is long overdue and many of these proposed projects seem to be well thought out. The next 20 years is going to be interesting to watch as Nevadas “Marvelous Makeover” moves forward while California sits idly by and wonders what happened.
“Save time and money and just clean up what we have.”??? Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!!!!!!
That is possibly the funniest thing I’ve ever heard. Too many CA commercial and private property owners have no pride of ownership, don’t care how their property looks, and aren’t going to spend their money to “clean up what they have”. The example of Harrison Avenue comes to mind: after the City (i.e. the taxpayers) spent millions on that streetscape improvement project the only property owner I’ve seen to date who made an investment and improved his commercial property was John Cefalu. If the other property owners cared or had any sense of pride they’d already be doing something or would have already done it like Mr. Cefalu did.
Clean up what we have — what a joke.
SCTahoe:
I agree with your remarks 100-percent. The only thing I would add is that those SLT individuals possessing tunnel vision will be the first to complain and will complain the loudest when SLT fails and Douglas County thrives.
When you look back from the future you will see that the Loop Road has been built. Yes a few people will have screamed and yelled and been displaced but it didn’t matter.
The COMMON GOOD as defined by the STAR Alliance and the CITY will decide. Only 59 properties being affected was nothing for a project of this magnitude. The CITY actually sold property it owned on Hwy 50 and made money.
You’ll see that STAR was comprised of Edgewood Lodge and golf course , Hard Rock, Mont Bleu, Edgewood’s vacant land at the corner of Hwy 50 & the LOOP ROAD roundabout, Harrah’s Tahoe, Harvey’s Resort Hotel and Casino, Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel, Lakeside Inn and Casino, and Vail Resorts. They were politically savvy, knew how to work the system, invested in planning which laid the groundwork for government to pay for what they wanted and had the fortitude to keep at it until it happened.
Those companies were working it full time where the dissenting voices were few and the City Council was really just part time and replaced every couple of years.
Welcome to the future and if you don’t like it I’d suggest you go back to today and find a way to work with the STAR Alliance to alter their VISION as the likelihood of stopping it is only a dream.
Dale what document shows that there is going to be an 8 lane highway? Please provide a link so we can all see. Everything I’ve looked for myself shows 4 lanes (2 in each direction) plus turn lanes at intersections.
So according to some here, it’s not worth it to fix up your own property, be it commercial or residential. I see that alot around here on So. Shore. Some people just don’t care what their property looks like. Fix it up? For some folks they just laugh and say, ha,ha,ha.
Clean up what we have??? Yes, it’s a start!!!! If you want to live in scrummy rundown place with empty homes and and vacant commercial buildings along 50, that’s your choice. I’d rather see the the city clean up and improve so we all do better as a community.
Clean up what we have is a joke? Well then if that’s the attitude, let everything fall apart and look like crap. That will be nice, eh?
It’s your choice. OLS
Here’s the link to the Hwy 50 Plan.
I can’t find an 8 lane option.
http://tahoetransportation.org/us50
OLS:
Put down the drink, put on your glasses, and re-read what I wrote. Cleaning up what we have is a joke because too many people have that “it’s good enough” attitude and won’t spend their time, effort or money making improvements so things look better. The ship has sailed on the scummy rundown neighborhoods with empty homes, vacant commercial buildings along 50, and things falling apart and looking like crap. When you have people who don’t care and think it’s good enough they don’t do anything.
Ever hear of first impressions?
Some people who comment here tend to single out individuals that they don’t agree with, and then they tend to rididcule that person with insults and false charges.
I don’t engage in this childish back and forth banter, but then some people never grow up so I usually just let it go. Have fun kids! OLS
4-mer: yup
Have the casinos install parking meters to pay for the improvements. Remember it was going to be the key to reshaping the city. Some people on this site claim tourists don’t mind paid parking right?
In addition how come the illustration fails to show the new PUBLIC beach??
I can see it now gang bangers from Carson shooting it out on the beach with our local wannabees. I bet you PUBLIC will be defined as a non Edgewood member staying at a Park/Edgewood property.
Stateline looks terrible; any cleanup or renovation would be appreciated. But why am I paying $4.84 per month for it? I’m an indirect beneficiary of any revitalization in that I won’t have to lay eyes on that ugliness anymore, but the casinos are the ones who will really profit–so they should pay for it.
sunriser2—as I understand the public beach, it will be in front of the new Edgewood Lodge development. They are planning to build 154 rooms plus 40 multi-bedroom casitas (154 + 80 = 274 bedrooms) and they said they would allow the public to use their beach. The stated capacity of the beach is 310 people at high water and 527 people when the water is low.
That doesn’t seem to leave too much room for anyone who isn’t staying in the Lodge.
Does that $4.84 come from all Douglas County residents? Even the poor ones in the Ranchos? Or just the Tahoe area residents? I’m sure the folks working at the G’ville WalMart will be happy to be paying for Lake Tahoe’s roundabouts.
Hey don’t worry everybody in South Shore will have to pay for the City’s portion of the Marvelous Makeover.
from the Bottle Shop to State Line…. the new Pioneer Trail.
old Hal and the Team will make sure to stick us with that cost.
it will be so… beautiful folks will be flocking here to get Swindled.
Its so classic the people who want no change and those who understand that without change this place just keeps on shrinking and losing jobs. This place is never going to be what it used to be. It’s time to move on. I think a performing arts center that helps to diversify the economy away from gaming and keeps people employed on the California and Nevada side is a great idea. The math is simple no improvement in this town = fewer jobs. End of story.
Tahoe Advocate gave the to the Tahoe Transportation District Page. Check out the the Triangle alternative page and bring up the link for the Rigth of Way Impacts Report. The Pioneer Trail / 50 intersection is 4 lanes plus 2 left turn lanes and 2 right hand turn merge lanes. That adds up to 8
http://www.tahoetransportation.org/images/assets/Hwy50/triangle-right-of-way-impacts.pdf
Mike Bradford states “It needs to be walkable to Stateline from California” What???
Note to Mike. You can walk from California right across Stateline Ave. to Stateline, Nevada. Now- What is the problem?
On the issue of property maintainence and upgrades, it costs lots of $$$’s to upkeep properties here. Let people keep their money (like LTCC’s measure) so they can spruce things up every year. Look at Sun Valley, Idaho. They haven’t reinvented the wheel. They went with keeping a one story, western themed area and it works. It is no coincidence that the 3 gov’t entities all hired the same consulting firm. Now they all have the inside track with each other while the public is being fed a bowl of cow-poop.
Isee you hit the nail on the head, higher taxes more agencies to take a cut before you start to improve your property and now a new fire inspection fee. More and more rules means more government to enforce the rules. The city also gave the bank that owns the hole 5 feet of walkable space in front of their building so we must assume there is plenty of walkable space already.
I look at this article and say “I wonder who did their drawings”, that the architect in me talking.
Renderings by Design Workshop.
Joe that is still considered a 4 lane highway. The intersection is not much different than what is currently at the Y… two left turn lanes, 4 lanes of travel and 2 merge lanes