Construction moving along at new Edgewood Lodge; Reservation center open

The newest lakefront resort being built on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe is set to open in June, 2017, and reservations for the 154 room Edgewood Lodge are already being taken.

On a tour this week of the new lodging property located within the grounds of the Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, work crews could be seen working on the swimming pool, the rooms, lobby, spa, restaurant, the stone fence and all other aspects of the resort which will give visitors a new taste of luxury.

The Lodge won't be the only new feature when the annual American Century Golf Championship heads to Edgewood in July, 2017. The 8th hole has a new green and the 9th hole is now completed.

Michael Milthorpe of Milthorpe Sports, LLC, a long time producer and director of the annual celebrity event in South Lake Tahoe, will be at Edgewood Monday and Tuesday to look over the new lodge, parking lots and holes in order to make plans for July. He will be evaluating new security needs that a hotel brings, as well as planning the layout of tents and other necessary equipment.

Inside the lodge the massive lobby will have large windows leading to views of the course and lake, fireplaces and seating, a boutique, cafe, a downstairs office for the event planner and upstairs offices for the company's staff, and a library with pictures and books about the Park family (founders of Edgewood) history. The Bistro will have seating inside and outside, a display kitchen where diners can see the chefs, and private rooms for parties. The restaurant will have a price point in-between the current Brooks Bar and Edgewood Restaurant located in the clubhouse.

There will also be a large spa with a jacuzzi on an indoor/outdoor deck that patrons can enjoy while relaxing before or after their massage. That same area on the second floor will also have a salon with hair and nail care.

Besides being able to use the public spaces of the lodge, locals will have access to the beach, though spokesman Bryan Davis said it was unsure if there'd be a charge involved. Gone is "the world's most beautiful parking lot," as the lakefront parking lot of the golf course was often called. In its place is a large lawn where guests will be able to sit and relax and enjoy the view. It will also be the location of Edgewood's Adventure Center, a one-stop shop for rentals of kayak, stand up paddle boards and other water sports accessories. Guests will also be able to have access to winter sports through this location.

Normally Edgewood closes to golf in mid-October, then the restaurants close for almost two months before opening for the holidays. Davis said this will be the last winter they are closed, and the restaurants and lodge will be open year-round starting next Spring. Their staff will be growing as they normally hire 500 for the summer season, but year-round needs will be growing..

The new lawn, meeting and banquet rooms also expands the options for weddings, events and meetings on the South Tahoe.

To plan the final design, mock rooms were set up at the white Friday's Station house that Edgewood Properties owns across Highway 50. People stayed there and gave feedback about the features such as beds, materials, and experience. One room inside the new lodge is completed so workers can refer to it for design in other spaces.

Three types of views come with the rooms and guest can pick from a "Mountain View," "Lake View," or "Course View." The normal rooms are 500 square feet, the premier room 750 square feet and the suite, 1000 square feet.

Even though reservations are now being taken for dates starting June 22, 2017, the Fourth of July and Celebrity Golf weeks are blocked off until February 1. Davis said they need to look into how they'll handle those popular dates.

Since the new lawn took away parking spaces, they are now located adjacent to the Lodge. These will be for the public to use as hotel guests will be treated to free valet parking. Those cars will be in one of two private parking lots reserved for valet use. Restaurant guests can also use the valet services. Edgewood will also start running a shuttle to move guests both in and around the resort.

During the next phase of building, Edgewood will be adding ten cabins along the 8th and 9th fairways. They were originally planned to be timeshares, but have since been redesigned to rental homes. Because of this design change, it will be a couple of more years until they are completed.

For more information, visit their website: http://edgewoodtahoe.com/the-lodge/.