Investing

Design Workshop, the company behind several recent South Lake Tahoe projects, won two awards from the Washoe County Open Space and Regional Park Commission.

The company, who has an office on the South Shore, has completed projects in 30 countries over the last 45 years. They received the Elmer H. Anderson Parks Excellence Award for the work they have done to make the Ballardini Ranch Trailhead project a success. The project team also included Wood Rodgers, Spanish Springs Construction and Angie Persigehl.

Leaving a legacy is often described as passing something down from one generation to another; in other words, what impacts will remain after a lifetime of service and actions?

You will soon be seeing this state of the art, high tech van traveling through the streets of South Lake Tahoe. Equiped with lasers, GPS, digital measuring tools and cameras, the van will be able to record the conditions of the city's infrastructure, thus allowing the gathered data to be evaluated to priorizie all maintenance.

Nationally it is estimated that there are $2 trillion of backlog mainenance to roads and other items in the infrastruce of cities and counties. Locally the number is estimated at $26 million.

Why should we care about investing in higher education in our local, state and national communities? According to a 2013 report by the Economic Analysis and Research Network in Washington D.C., "States can build a strong foundation for economic success and shared prosperity by investing in education.

Whole the Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel is undergoing $8 million dollars in renovations, the leadership of the hotel formerly known as "Embassy Suites" is also undergoing renovations.

The resort just celebrated a year of independence in April 2014 and is putting into place a management structure that throws away the corporate mold, and invests in the resort’s front line -- its staff.

The Sierra Business Council is hosting Peak Innovation, a conference for Lake Tahoe locals, small business owners, communities and local governments. During the conference, Dr. Peter Gleick, an expert in water issues especially in the context of economic and environmental justice, will be at the conference which takes place October 8-10 in Tahoe City. In a National Geographic science blog, Gleick recently repeated the common question, “Why, if the California drought is so bad, has the response been so tepid?”

The City of South Lake Tahoe made several strategic moves in 2010, allowing them to survive the financial crisis which caused so many problems in 2010. As the Five Year Financial Forecast is presented during Tuesday's City Council Meeting, it will be evident that it is time again to make more strategic moves to stay in the black and be sustainable. One such move should be a focus on growing the local economy.

A $2.8M Proposition 84 grand was received by the City of South Lake Tahoe’s Engineering Division yesterday. The Round 2 grant will correct erosion control issues in the Sierra Tract neighborhood.

As 2013 draws to a close, it provides an opportunity to reflect on the accomplishments of many this year. It was just a few short years ago, in the midst of the Great Recession, both public agencies and private companies throughout the basin were in the middle of layoffs, service reductions and unemployment hovering above 17%. Concerns regarding economic recovery were significant. Rather than buckling under, we buckled down, got things done and prepared for recovery.

A major milestone for Lake Tahoe’s restoration and environmental redevelopment was reached today with the unanimous adoption by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Governing Board of the Douglas County South Shore Area Plan—the first local government Area Plan to be enacted under the 2012 Lake Tahoe Regional Plan—according to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA).

The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors conceptually adopted a $587 million balanced budget for fiscal year 2013-14 at a special budget hearing held September 16.

Chief Budget Officer Laura Schwartz presented the numbers to the supervisors. Focusing on the General Fund which pays for many of the county’s discretionary programs, Schwartz highlighted an $11 million increase in fund balance from the initial budget approved earlier this summer. The change in fund balance represents a combination of increased revenue and decreased spending within county departments.

A one-mile section of new multi-use path at Stateline, Nev., near the South Shore casinos, was unveiled to the public Thursday, June 20, 2013, marking the beginning of what will eventually become a system of trails that circumnavigates the lake.

A home is one of the biggest, if not THE biggest investment a person will make in their life. Things change, our needs and families change, ideas of what we want change, so this means our home will change. The California Association of Realtors recently came out with this chart of the top ten remodeling projects that increase the value of your home.

Nevada son and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid addressed a joint session of the Nevada State Legislature today in Carson City. Here is the text of his speech:

This winter at Lake Tahoe ski resorts marks the latest progression in merger mania. The Vail Corp. now owns Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood, while KSL Capital Partners is investing in acquisitions Squaw and Alpine Meadows. Even independent Sugar Bowl is getting into the act with a recently inked agreement to operate the Royal Gorge Cross Country Resort.

Lake Tahoe will be thrust in the spotlight again when scientists, public agencies and elected officials meet Aug. 13 for the 16th annual Lake Tahoe Summit at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. To be discussed with great interest is the protection and health of Lake Tahoe's fragile environment and economy.
“The health of the environment and the health of the economy at Tahoe are linked,” Derek Kauneckis, political science professor and researcher at the University of Nevada, Reno said. “And the collaborations that have been established at the Lake have set the stage for future efforts.”

Services for legendary radio commentator Travus T. Hipp will be held this Saturday, May 26, in Silver City. Hipp died early Friday morning, May 18, at his Silver City home. He was 75, as old as the Golden Gate Bridge in his beloved San Francisco.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 26, in Silver City. Gathering, gnoshing and remembering will begin at the Silver City Community Center, 385 High Street, at 10:00 a.m. Food and refreshments will be provided. Those who wish may bring more.

The trio of Colorado players investing in Lake Tahoe covers the spectrum of resort development and management.
East West Partners is a land developer. Vail Resorts is largely a lodger and resort operator. KSL Capital Partners is working in both operations and real estate.
Go here for the Denver Post story: Lake Tahoe's trio of Colorado investors covers all the bases.