South Tahoe Stand Up Paddle and Sierra-at-Tahoe chosen as Lakeview Commons concessionaires

A passionate, supportive and large crowd backing South Tahoe StandUp Paddle (STSUP) showed up at Tuesday's South Lake Tahoe City Council meeting as the Lakeview Commons concessionaires were decided.

By an unanimous vote, the five members of Council voted to approve STSUP for the non-motorized concession going against what the input of staff appointed to review the proposals. Sierra-at-Tahoe was approved for the food and beverage concession by a vote of four-to-one.

"When your livelihood is on the line and you have people counting on you, its a big deal," said STSUP owner Chris Brackett after the Council's decision. "We are the best for this community, I wouldn't be here if I didn't this so. I'm so thankful."

The City opened up proposal requests for vendors interested in operating the food and water sports concessions for the next three years. Since they operate on public property it is very common to have businesses provide proposals every few years. Staff reviewed the proposals and ranked them according to a point total. When the top two scores for the non-motorized sports concession were within one point, with STSUP on top, an interview process was added, putting Tahoe City Kayak and Paddleboard on top of the heap, and South Tahoe Stand Up Paddle second by just .37 points.

"Put the human equation into this," said Tom Milham of Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care. "Robin and Chris have put their blood, sweat and tears into this (speaking of CFO and co-owner of STSUP Robin Bender).

Others that spoke said being a successful local business should put a lot of merit into the judging process and count for something.

Duane Wallace of the South Lake Tahoe Chamber, and Steve Teshara of the Tahoe Chamber both said they supported Chris Bracket and STSUP and that scores that are essential ties should go to the local.

"They have made a tremendous contribution not only to the business, but to tourism and putting South Lake Tahoe on the map of stand up paddling," said Teshara.

Since opening in South Lake Tahoe six years ago, STSUP has put 60,000 paddlers on the water, many who had never tried the sport prior to arriving. Bracket had to move his business when the old building was torn down to make way for Pick 6 on Harrison Avenue. He and Bender leased a nearby property that once housed a winery and revamped it into the base of STSUP operations and Revive Coffee and Wine.

Andy Laughlin, owner of staff's original chosen concessionaire, North Tahoe Kayak, was at the meeting to speak about his business's success on the North Shore in both Tahoe City and Sand Harbor. He was their chamber's Small Business of the Year and said they are dedicated to being technologically advanced with a lot of safety training. He said he planned on hiring locals and was experienced with coordinating with concert promoters and special events.

"Two things make a team, a business and a city successful, the culture and the people," said local businessman John Allen in his support of Brackett.

All of the City Councilmembers agreed that extra points should be awarded to a proven local business and chose Bracket to operate the concession for the next three years.

Sierra-at-Tahoe was awarded the Food and Beverage Concession with their final proposal receiving 92 points, above the only other applicant for the concession, Lakeview Cafe, who received 80.3 points during the proposal process. Lakeview Cafe's owners had been in the location since the building opened. City Councilman Tom Davis wanted to give credit to Lakeview Cafe for being the current concessionaire and was the lone descent vote.