Wasn’t the Cal Neva, up at North Lake Tahoe, undergoing some renovations? If so, what sort of progress has been made?
This is a question we receive on occasion, which doesn't surprise us. There's a lot of interest in the nearly 100-year-old lodge and casino that overlooks Crystal Bay up at north Lake Tahoe.
For now, the progress report is, very little.
Last year, some “revegetation” was performed. Prior to that, 13 cabins on the Nevada side of the property were torn down, but that was as far back as October 2018. At that time, the tree line was tidied up and noxious weeds were removed, largely to improve fire safety. A “deteriorating structure” was scrapped in July 2019. Even after the pandemic struck, work continued at the Cal-Neva. Starting in April 2020, project site and surrounding-area clean up efforts occurred monthly, including the removal of dead trees by September. After that, work petered out.
There are indications on the official website that owner Larry Ellison may be having second thoughts. It states, “During this time of uncertainty stemming from the unprecedented impacts of COVID-19, ownership is reassessing the Cal Neva redevelopment. Planning on the project is currently paused.”
That may not be an entirely bad thing. Ellison had made it clear he was going to tear down the historic casino floor (though which the California-Nevada state line runs) and pool (ditto). To us, it would be a shame to lose the historic authenticity of the old property.
