By Kathryn Reed

A bankruptcy judge in Reno may decide the future ownership of the strip of commercial space in South Lake Tahoe’s Bijou Center that houses a medical marijuana dispensary.

Lawyers for Patty Olson want all agreements with Cody Bass to be terminated and for Bob Hassett to be the owner of the parcel. A hearing is set for later this month.

Attorneys Kevin and Tricia Darby, who are representing Olson, did not return multiple calls.

For years Olson has owned this swath of land, as well other parcels in the area. She and Bass, who owns the Tahoe Wellness Cooperative, have been at odds for about a year. Bass believes the agreement he has with Olson to buy the commercial and residential properties for $4.2 million is still valid. Not true says Olson’s lawyers.

Bass stopped paying rent in March 2016. A court order mandated he pay the $10,200/month rent. He has not consistently done so, according to court documents.

He filed a countersuit contending breach of contract. Bass was not available for comment.

Complicating the matter is that Bass is operating his shop without a permit from the city because he’s supposed to have the landlord’s permission. He no longer does. That issue is slated for a hearing in El Dorado County Superior Court next month.

Depending on what happens in bankruptcy court, the city dispute could just go away.

Olson, who had lived in the city for decades, now resides in Reno. She filed for chapter 13 bankruptcy earlier this year after her Tahoe properties were foreclosed on.

Court documents say the commercial property and the residence on Bal Bijou Road have a value of about $3.5 million.

On March 8 of this year Hassett offered Olson $2.35 million for the commercial property with the contingency all matters with Bass are resolved and that the property not need more than $400,000 in repairs.

Olson would be able to pay her creditors if the sale to Hassett goes through.

Hassett runs the neighboring marina at Timber Cove, along with Camp Richardson and Lakeside marinas, as well as being the concessionaire at Round Hill Pines. He operated Meeks Bay marina until it was closed. After making public in December that he was in escrow on Olson’s former house, Hassett no longer speaks to Lake Tahoe News.