By: Andy Wirth / Guest Columnist
Squaw Valley is widely recognized for its world-class terrain; however, visitation to North Lake Tahoe slows in the spring — even in years when snowfall is significant. To compound matters, the mountain destination marketplace has become extremely competitive, with resorts across the country diversifying their year-round activities and resort amenities in order to survive.
To remain competitive, we have developed — with substantial community input — a plan consistent with our region’s core values relative to environmental stewardship and our mountain resort culture. Our goal is to make Squaw Valley more inviting to visitors year-round, and create new jobs that keep our friends and neighbors employed.
After more than 500 community meetings and a process that invited input, consensus and compromise, resulting in the substantial reduction of the project, our plan to expand the Village at Squaw Valley will come before the Placer County Board of Supervisors for consideration.
What we heard through extensive community outreach was consistent — the need to create jobs, recognize the realities of our tourism-dependent economy, and remain relevant in a hyper-competitive mountain resort marketplace, but not at the expense of the environment.
As an example of the truly collaborative process, when representing the 218 Squaw Valley Lodge homeowners, Keith Fountain recently told the Board of Supervisors: “(We are) enthusiastic about the potential opportunities the project will bring to Squaw Valley, and encouraged by the revisions the applicant has made during the application process in response to community concerns.” Fountain continued, “I am also here to say that we believe we are typical of the silent majority.”
The plan contemplates thoughtful, sustainable development, including jobs, recreation opportunities and environmental stewardship.
New jobs and support for our economy and infrastructure
- The project will create over 1,400 new jobs. In the meantime, the resort is committed to its workforce and leads the industry with its entry wage scale.
- The project will generate over $25 million in annual tax revenue benefiting the entire county and helping fund important public services such as road improvements, snow removal, environmental initiatives, transit services, schools and public safety.
The current plan is to make Squaw Valley more inviting to visitors year-round and compete with other ski resorts from a recreation standpoint on a national level.
Recreation opportunities include a Squaw Creek Interpretive Park offering unique educational experiences, as well as miles of new hiking and biking trails, plus a Mountain Adventure Camp featuring world-class training facilities for athletes, and indoor and outdoor recreational opportunities that align with our mountain landscape and community’s values, including zip lines, rock climbing, and other adventure activities.
Environmental stewardship: Since first introduced, the project’s size has been reduced by more than 50 percent. More than 90 percent of the project will be constructed on 82 acres of existing asphalt parking lots.
To protect mountain views, the tallest structures have been reduced by 30 feet, or eliminated altogether.
The plan calls for an extensive restoration of Squaw Creek and contributions of over $1 million annually to environmental initiatives.
Over 50 percent of the project area has been dedicated to open space. In addition, over 3,000 acres of mountain land serve as an adventurous playground.
Due to substantial project reductions and investments in roads and mass transit, the drive time between Squaw Valley and Truckee will increase by less than one minute. Squaw Valley to Tahoe City will increase by mere seconds.
We are pleased with a development process that encouraged unprecedented public input. Together, we have created a plan that protects Squaw Valley’s legacy and future, and benefits the entire community and county by way of infrastructure and job creation.
To learn more, visit http://thevillageatsquaw.com.
Andy Wirth is president and chief executive officer of Squaw Valley | Alpine Meadows.
