Construction begins on Stateline events center

Construction on the new Tahoe South Events Center is underway with more than 50,000 cubic yards of dirt being excavated from the site at MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa. In cooperation with Edgewood Tahoe and Tahoe Beach Club the dirt is being repurposed for landscaping features and fill dirt. (https://tahoedouglasva.org/)

“This partnership is a great environmental benefit to the project,” said Rick Kozuback, president and CEO of International Coliseums Company, project managers for the events center. “By keeping the dirt in Tahoe, we are not having to put multiple trucks on the road every day to transport to Minden, and Tahoe Beach Club isn’t having to import dirt for their construction. It reduces congestion, wear and tear on the roads, and exhaust emissions in the Basin.”

The 143,000 square-foot, multi-purpose facility designed to complement the destination’s gaming and recreational offerings, is expected to finish the majority of the mass excavation to prepare the site for foundation work and vertical construction by mid July. The project will also finish construction in June on a new entrance to the Mont Bleu parking lot from Lake Parkway East and a new entrance to the resort’s parking garage.

Edgewood Tahoe is using the dirt to build up the landscape along the east side of the golf course adjacent to Highway 50. The Event Center project team is grading the dirt and will install permanent irrigation and revegetate the area in the fall.

The events center will provide a venue for conventions, special events and entertainment, as well as a variety of events for the local South Tahoe community, including concerts, and family programming, as well as professional and amateur sporting events. It is expected to host up to 130 events a year with opportunities to expand visitation into shoulder seasons and mid-week periods. Proponents say the anticipated economic impact to the entire community is estimated to be $40-60 million per year.

The project, scheduled for completion in 2022, will feature two levels: an event floor, and a suites, conference and meeting room level, as well as an event lawn area. Seating for up to 6,000 will be available for concerts, performing arts, trade shows, and sporting events along with a seasonal micro-transit system.

Funding for the $80 million-plus project include $34 million, from Douglas County Redevelopment Area No. 2; a $5 per night lodging surcharge on each room at Tahoe Township properties: casinos/hotels, Lodge at Edgewood and vacation rentals will account for 43 percent of debt service to repay the bonds; and current transient lodging license tax and transient occupancy tax for the remaining 38 percent.

For more on the Tahoe South Event Center, visit https://tahoedouglasva.org.