Lodging

Measure P, the two percent raise in transient occupancy tax for lodging properties in the City limits, has passed by a fairly large margin. With 100 percent of the precincts counted, a "yes" vote of 3,214 to 1,537 has passed by a 35.30 percent difference in the unofficial results.

The measure will use the funds raised by the extra tax to support recreational improvements in the City. A new recreation center, competitive pool and ball courts are in the plans.

All candidates for South Lake Tahoe City Council were given the same questions. With just one day to go to the elections, we will be featuring their answers and a video of their interview with Tahoe Regional Young Professionals through the day.

JoAnn Conner, 67, Small Business Owner, 35 years in SLT.

Discuss your interest in serving on City Council. What is your prior experience in working with civic, community or governmental organizations?

Measure P will be a key initiative on the City of South Lake Tahoe’s Nov. 8 ballot as a tourist-only tax to help rebuild the area’s aging Recreation Center.

Without raising taxes on local residents and businesses, Measure P will bring an estimated extra $2 million a year to support the community. The Lodging Association has voted unanimously to support further recreation in South Lake Tahoe. If passed by a two-thirds vote, Measure P will increase transient occupancy tax by 2 percent to 12 percent.

On November 8, voters in South Lake Tahoe are tasked with selecting not only local and national leadership, but they are also faced with raising taxes. Measure P is on the ballot, but it is very different than other taxes, and let me explain why.

Like many communities that are highly-desirable places to vacation and live, Lake Tahoe has affordable housing problems. Two recent studies commissioned by the Tahoe Prosperity Center and Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation clearly illustrate the housing challenges our region faces.

Median home prices of more than $500,000 on the North Shore and nearly $400,000 on the South Shore are simply too high for our region’s low wages, putting the cost of home ownership and even rent out of reach for many working people.

The 22nd annual Oktoberfest at Lake Tahoe will be held October 1 and 2 at the historic Camp Richardson Resort.

Oktoberfest Activities include German food and desserts, an owner and dog dress up contest, craft booths, face painting, pumpkin patch, balloon art, bouncy house, bungee platform, climbing wall, live music featuring the polka styling’s of the “Gruber Family Band,” and the event’s ever popular beer and wine garden.

On November 8, voters living in the City of South Lake Tahoe will be electing two city council members and the decision may not be an easy one. There are ten candidates, so as an aid to help community members with their pick, the Tahoe Chamber and the South Lake Tahoe Lodging Association have joined together to host a candidate's forum on Tuesday, September 20 at the Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The celebrities are gone, the tarmac at the airport is empty of luxury jets, the golf course is open to the public and the crowds have lessened. American Century Golf Championship 2016 is in the books so it's time to look into some stats from one of the biggest tourism weeks of the year for South Lake Tahoe.

The Repeat Champ: Mark Mulder won his second consecutive ACC title becoming the third back-to-back champion in the tournament’s 27-year history, joining 8-time champion Rick Rhoden who accomplished the feat in 2008- 2009, and five-time winner Dan Quinn.

A lawsuit against the City of South Lake Tahoe over the fees charged to those who rent out their homes as vacation rentals was won by the City in court this week. The June 23 verdict was received by all parties on June 28.

Judge Steven Bailey of the El Dorado County Superior Court issued an 11-page decision supporting the City's rights to charge fees to recover their costs in administering the VHR ordinance, including staff time for accounting, planning, building department, administration, code enforcement and other costs.

NFL Hall of Famers, former Major League Baseball players and other sports celebrities will gather July 17-18 to once again pay tribute to the former Oakland Raider at the 8th annual Gene Upshaw Memorial Golf Classic at the Schaffer’s Mill Golf & Lake Club in Truckee, Calif.

Upshaw, who often played in the Celebrity Golf Tournament in South Lake Tahoe, died of pancreatic cancer in 2008 at Tahoe Forest Hospital.

The South Lake Tahoe City Council will have item on their agenda May 3 that will not only affect local residents, but tourists as well. They are contemplating some tax initiatives that could appear on the November ballot, initiatives needed to pay for much needed city improvements including roads, facilities, replacing an aging fleet, a remodel of the recreation and swim complex and more.

Dozens of employers will be on hand at Tuesday's Tahoe Regional Community Job Fair at Harrah's Tahoe from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Local businesses are looking for help to set up concerts in the area this summer, staff for golfing, boating, casinos, summer adventures on the slopes, retail, restaurants, the Forest Service, construction, lodging and banking to name just a few.

Take your resume and find the job you've been looking for.

The National Park Service has opened up a new front in the fight over the names of historic hotels and other beloved landmarks at Yosemite National Park.

The agency has asked a federal trademark board to cancel trademarks obtained by the company that previously ran the park’s hotels, restaurants and outdoor activities, the Sacramento Bee reported Friday. Those trademarks include the name, “The Ahwahnee,” which was used on a luxurious stone and timber hotel with stunning views of the park’s fabled granite peaks, and “Curry Village,” a woodsy family-friendly lodging complex.

With the massive traffic jam created by travelers trying to get out of South Lake Tahoe during the snowstorm January 31, several options have been discussed to prevent a repeat, especially with a large holiday crowd this weekend.

With an estimated three million visitors to the Lake Tahoe Basin annually, there is a lot of vacation planning occurring, and the Lake Tahoe Visitor's Authority has made it easier for those traveling to the South Shore.

Six months ago they launched "Explore Your Trip," a itinerary planning tool on their website that helps travelers plan their trip based on what they like to do, what their budget, what they like to each and many other categories.

Placer County has made two attempts to buy lodging properties in South Lake Tahoe to give them needed tourist accommodation units (TAUs) for future redevelopment projects in the North Lake Tahoe town centers of Kings Beach and Tahoe City.

The county had offered the owners of the A & A motel $1.425 million for their property at 3520 Lake Tahoe Blvd. After demolishing the motel, the county would have restored the land beneath, earning a bonus ratio of three-to-one TAUs from the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, so the motel's 34 units would have been worth 102 to Placer County.

The SnowGlobe Music Festival announced Thursday additional artists to the 5th anniversary of the three-day celebration in South Lake Tahoe December 29-31, 2015. Hosted in the heart of California’s breathtaking Sierra Nevada Mountains, the unique outdoor winter festival offers over 50 world-class artists performing multiple stages and culminating in an impressive NYE firework show. By day, time is spent enjoying the many alpine adventures available in the stunning setting of Lake Tahoe.

While many may hike past Lily Lake to get to a myriad of trails going through Desolation Wilderness, I took the trail to go the historic Glen Alpine Springs. Even though my walk was mid-day on October 13, I passed many other hikers on the two-mile hike, all enjoying the warm, un-fall like weather.

Even though I've lived in South Lake Tahoe for 36 years, I'd never gone past Lily Lake. Wanting to get to the springs before winter, there was no time like the present to finally accomplish that task!

Nobody was injured when a crane being operated at the new Lodge at Edgewood Tahoe toppled over on Wednesday afternoon.

The crane, owned by Connolly Crane out of Gardnerville, NV, was getting ready to move when the operator released the brake instead of the house lock according to Kelly Connolly, the owner of Connolly Crane.

Lisa Maloff has recently donated millions of dollars to the South Lake Tahoe community to help at the community college, hospital and other needed areas. She was honored during Tuesday's City Council meeting for her recent donation to purchase and train Ricci, the Police Department's newest K9 officer.

Once considered rundown and dirty, Reno, as well as neighboring Sparks, is experiencing a staggering rebirth. Only eight percent of their economy now comes from the gaming and tourism industry, with the remainder coming from a boom of the relocation of manufacturing and distribution companies.

What is evident is that the Reno of today is not the Reno of 25 years ago. It isn't even the same Reno of four years ago.

With the three-day weekend starting for many on Friday, visitors started arriving in South Lake Tahoe early Thursday. If the amount of congestion on local roads and the crowds in the grocery stores are any indication, this is going to be a very busy holiday!

An estimated 50,000 to 55,000 people will be using South Lake Tahoe hotels, motels, campgrounds, timeshares and vacation home rentals. Another 50,000-70,000 will be enjoying the fireworks from the South Shore. This includes full time residents, part time residents and drive in day visitors.

In order to ensure motels and hotels being used as long term housing were kept decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable, the City of South Lake Tahoe has created a Single Room Occupancy (SRO) ordinance. At Tuesday's City Council meeting, the first reading received unanimous approval and support.

The ordinance gives the lodging community guidelines to follow if renting out units more than 30 days.

Safe and habitable units will be made available within the next twelve months once the design and maintenance standards are approved at the next council meeting June 16.

In case you hadn't noticed, the Fantasy Inn sign has been replaced by a new one, Postmarc Hotel & Spa Suites.

Capping a major remodel of all rooms, the new owner wanted to capture travel and adventure while highlighting the South Lake Tahoe mountain lifestyle with vintage photographs, all new furniture, fixtures, carpet, paint, lighting, and driveway.

The concept of a romantic place to stay was transformed with new decor "and a new Tahoe attitude."

They will still be offering weddings, both inside and outside.