Edgewood Tahoe celebrates completion of $100M lodge

STATELINE — Nearly 25 years in the making, Edgewood Tahoe’s $100-million lodge is finally completed.

The 154-room lodge, which broke ground in October 2015, includes a spa and salon, 200-seat bistro and bar, ballroom, adventure center, kids camp, high-end shops, and a lakefront swimming pool.

Community members and other stakeholders gathered at the 169,000-square-foot lodge on Tuesday, June 20, to celebrate its grand opening.

“What you see here today is the culmination of a vision that was formed 25 years ago when [the late] Brooks Park and [general manager] Bobby King thought it would be a good idea for golfers to have a place to stay after they completed their round of golf,” said John McLaughlin, president and CEO for Edgewood Companies.

Park, a major property owner and cattle rancher in Northern Nevada, built Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in 1968. He passed away in 2001.

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval was among the speakers who praised the project for its economic and environmental benefits for Lake Tahoe’s South Shore.

“It’s going to employ 240 local residents and give them incredible and meaningful jobs,” said Sandoval. “The other part that’s important to me is pairing redevelopment with conservation. There’s some conservation as a result of this project that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. It’s going to help preserve and protect the lake.”

Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s Executive Director Joanne Marchetta pointed to specific environmental restoration projects on the 4,200-acre Edgewood Creek watershed, which feeds directly into the lake — and includes the golf course itself.

“It’s the environmental benefits that really outshine here. We have enhanced wetlands, new fish and wildlife habitat, and improved stormwater systems,” said Marchetta. “The restoration of the golf course is actually improving more than 53,000 square feet of stream environment zone. These are the kinds of new wetlands that filter polluted stormwater runoff before it enters the lake.”

These environmental improvements were required by the TRPA for the lodge to be built.

South Lake Tahoe Mayor Austin Sass noted that the new lodge is a boon for the entire South Shore, both in Nevada and California.

“The South Shore of Lake Tahoe is enjoying a rebirth. Coupled with what has happened within the city and Douglas County, we have seen over three-quarters of a billion dollars in capital investment over the last five years with the completion of this lodge,” said Sass.

The Lodge at Edgewood opened just in time for the 28th annual American Century Championship, which will be held from July 11 – 16.