Official groundbreaking at new multigenerational recreation and aquatics center in South Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Years in the making, a groundbreaking ceremony was held this week at the site of the new multigenerational recreation and aquatics center in South Lake Tahoe, officially marking the beginning of construction. The $60-million project is in the heart of South Lake Tahoe and is being created with locals, as well as visitors, in mind.

A large crowd of project partners, community leaders, and the public took part in the celebration of what will be a state-of-the-art LEED-gold center for many recreational activities as well as a hub for the community. It is being built along Lake Tahoe Boulevard, giving those using the center and its roof-top deck great views of the lake.

The project is primarily funded by Measure P, passed by voters in 2016. The measure was created by the South Lake Tahoe Lodging Association which went to the City, saying their guests could pay an extra two percent in tourist occupancy taxes (TOT) to fund the recreation center. A new competitive pool would bring in swim meets, the gym would bring in basketball and other court tournaments. The year-round benefit would be primarily funded by Measure P which has already brought in $17 million since passing.

The City will also be applying for state grants as supplemental funding, and City Council will vote Tuesday on whether or not they should issue up to $52 million in lease revenue bonds to pay for the center. These bonds would be paid back through Measure P revenues.

The new multi-generational recreation and aquatics center at the 56-acres property, located within the existing campground area, will provide the community with a 64,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility, which will provide significant recreation and community programs.

The first phase of construction has now been officially kicked off and consists of mostly site work to prepare for future vertical construction. The community can expect to see site clearing and tree removal, installation of underground utilities, and the demo and relocation of some campground facilities this summer/fall. Phase 2 is scheduled to begin in May 2023 and will consist of the building construction and completion of site improvements. The City expects the new facility to be open to the public by the end of 2024, provided the schedule goes as planned.

The new recreation and aquatics center is only able to be built after the City of South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County created a new agreement and ground leases for the 56-acre property. The agreement is for 50 years and can be extended by both parties to a total of 99 years. The City will develop, operate, and maintain the owned and leased property on the 56 Acres for recreation and government facilities.

The City will pay the County $200,000 per year for use of their property starting in the 30th year of the agreement, and 50 percent of net operating revenues from the area except for those from the ice arena. Per the agreement, the County will reinvest all money they receive into infrastructure and services in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

There was a land swamp involved as well. The County owns 41 acres of the 56 acres, and the City the remaining land. The County will transfer about 10 acres to the City for the building of the new multi-generational recreation center. The City will demolish the old recreation center within 15 years. The county-owned vector control building will stay in County ownership until it too is demolished within 15 years. At that time the County will give that parcel to the City and the City will identify a new location for vector control and give that property to the County. The City will transfer the 10 acres at the current recreation center site to the County for use as a possible City-County government center (something that would be agreed upon by the two entities).

The County retains ownership of the library and old jail/visitor center building which has been turned into the new JPA ambulance base.

One provision in the agreement states County residents residing outside City limits may use the existing and new recreational facilities under the same policies and fee schedule as City residents.

The City and County worked collaboratively on the new master plan and will continue to do so on future public improvements. They will continue to meet annually to discuss the agreement and plans.

Before there was a City of South Lake Tahoe there was a lot of controversy over this same parcel. It was the largest campground in the area on this space (1/2 of all South Shore campsites in 1964), and it needed to have sewer hookups as their process of 12,000 daily gallons of sewage dumping into septic tanks would no longer be accepted by the utility district. Supervisor Chair Jack Caswell said in a 1964 story that the campground had "outlived its usefulness." The County at the time proposed a convention center in the spot as well as a shopping center so they wouldn't have to pay for the costs associated with sewer hookups and sewage export. They also investigated a day-use park instead of camping at the time. When the City and County formed that first agreement in 1968 that the City would manage the property for the County, those older ideas were abandoned.