Forest Service, Aramark to host open house on potential development at Zephyr Cove Resort

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – There will be a public meeting on April 10 to discuss potential new development at Zephyr Cove Resort. The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) and Aramark Destinations, the company that manages Zephyr Cove Resort, want to hear from interested community members and stakeholders about possible changes at the popular resort along the shore at Zephyr Cove.

The community open house will be held on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Whittell High School, 240 Warrior Way in Zephyr Cove, Nevada. There will be stations around the room for the public to visit.

“I encourage anyone interested in contributing to the future management of Zephyr Cove Resort to drop by the open house,” said Forest Supervisor Erick Walker. “We value feedback from community members and stakeholders as it helps inform and guide us on the best path forward.”

Last summer, the LTBMU announced that Aramark Destinations competed for and was awarded a new 20-year concession special use permit to operate Zephyr Cove Resort. Based upon the LTBMU mission and objectives, Aramark Destinations has developed ideas for additional destination enhancements for visitors including camping and “glamping” sites, new interpretive trails, and a special event space at Zephyr Shoals.

The new permit consists of government-owned facilities and existing improvements including Zephyr Cove Lodge and Restaurant; Sunset Beach Bar and Grill; Zephyr Cove Marina; the Event Plaza; 28 cabins; campground and RV park; equestrian stables; and workshop and storage facility. For the first time, the permit covers the undeveloped area north of the resort known as Zephyr Shoals. That area gained international attention last July 5 when trash was collected after the holiday revelers left a few thousand pounds of trash behind.

Formerly known as the Dreyfus Estate, the Zephyr Shoals area includes three-quarters of a mile of sandy beach and rocky shoreline, along with forest and stream habitats. Anticipated changes to the Zephyr Shoals area include managed parking, enhanced trash and recycling management, improved signage, sanitation services, and staffing.

“It has been a privilege for Aramark Destinations to operate at Zephyr Cove Resort for more than two decades,” said Resident District Manager, Kevin Schiesz. “Adding the Shoals area to our operations is very exciting as we look forward to bringing sustainability and visitor service enhancements to the area in partnership with the Forest Service.”

Those who cannot participate in person are encouraged to listen via telephone (Dial-in Number: +1-747-228-2049, Conference ID: 352 567 448#).

Zephyr Cove Resort, named for the gentle westerly winds that often arrive in the afternoon, has been a popular destination since 1862 when entrepreneur, Andrew Gardener, built the original inn that catered to Comstock era prospectors seeking silver.

The late Jack Dreyfus, a financial tycoon from New York, purchased the 81-acre property from the George Whittell, Jr. estate (he also bought the Thunderbird Lodge at the same time). The Olympic Group LLC purchased the estate from Dreyfus in 1995 for $28 million. The land at the Dreyfus Estate was acquired by the Olympic Group LLC from the Bureau of Land Management through two exchanges in 1996 and 1997 for $38 million. They then received land in Las Vegas in the exchange, the USFS getting the land around the estate, Park Cattle Co. buying the estate which had, at the time, a nine-bedroom mansion, a caretaker’s cottage, and a six-car garage. They wanted to put a commercial business in there but couldn't get a special use permit for a private venture from the Forest Service (USFS owned the 47 acres of land that the house sat on). In 2001, Park Cattle sold the mansion to the Forest Service and donated its $505,000 proceeds to the Boys and Girls Club of Lake Tahoe. The Forest Service asked for ideas for buildings, but it was decided the best use was to remove them and restore the site to natural conditions.