Funding for reimagination and renovation of Spooner State Park now in place

LAKE TAHOE, Nev. - Construction is set to begin in May 2020 on the renovation and reimagination of facilities at Spooner Lake State Park. A collaboration between Nevada State Parks, Nevada State Lands and the Tahoe Fund has been successful in securing funding and donations to complete plans for the 35-year-old park.

A fundraising campaign spearheaded by the Tahoe Fund has generated $300,000 in contributions from private donors for a new amphitheater including $100,000 from the E.L. Cord Foundation. The private donations will go to construct an outdoor amphitheater for high-quality interpretive programming and community events.

Those funds will be added to $2.9 million in public funding for Nevada State Parks.

A new parking lot, restrooms, visitor's center, picnic and play area are part of the plans along with the amphitheater.

Spooner State Park and Sand Harbor will serve as the bookends on the SR28 corridor improvement project which will bring the East Shore Trail all the way from Incline Village to US50. This 11-mile stretch of shoreline will be a major portal for public access to 60+ miles of paths and trails in 13,000 acres of spectacular non-motorized primitive wilderness.

“We are so grateful to the E.L. Cord Foundation and all of our donors for helping make this much-needed restoration possible,” said CEO of the Tahoe Fund Amy Berry. “Once again we are seeing the power of philanthropy to improve the Tahoe environment for all to enjoy.”

“Spooner Lake Nevada State Park is the perfect setting for an interpretive center that will benefit both the local community and impress the many tourists from around the world who visit the Lake Tahoe basin every year,” said Bradley Crowell, director of the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. “I want to thank the Tahoe Fund, the Nevada Division of State Parks, and all of the dedicated community supporters for coming together to enhance Spooner Lake State Park and solidify the entire east shore of Lake Tahoe as a world-class recreation destination.”

Expected to take place during the 2020 and 2021 construction seasons, improvements at Spooner Lake State Park will include construction of a new amphitheater and visitor center that will be at the heart of the park. Designed to serve as a base for natural and cultural history programs, ranger-led hikes and tours, and an outdoor science venue for students, the Spooner Lake Amphitheater will be a key connector between the world-renowned backcountry trail systems and the developed area at Spooner Lake that provides recreation facilities to support backcountry activities.

Nevada State Parks has issued a bid package for project construction and hopes to select a contractor and begin construction as soon as May 2020. The project is estimated to be completed by Fall 2021.

Video of park and plan here: https://vimeo.com/388289357.

Project updates and details related to how visitors can navigate construction-related impacts will be available at parks.nv.gov/spooner.