Lake Tahoe residents hoping casino will return to glory

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — The historic, and presently shuttered, Cal Neva will remain a casino and hotel when it reopens.

Beyond that simple statement, details and plans for the property remain unfinished and undisclosed — a point realized by many of the roughly 100 people who circulated through the Incline Village Library for a meet and greet hosted by members of the Cal Neva project.

As those project members explained, plans for the property are not at the point where they can be shared with the public.

“I’m glad they’re going to keep most of what’s there,” said Incline Village resident Jim Croley. As best Croley could tell, he said the project appears to demonstrate “respect for the environment and respect for the history.”

A post-meeting statement from the Cal Neva project team affirmed those feelings.

“At the listening session, the project team was able to hear directly from community members about their ideas and thoughts for the property,” the statement read.

“The project team also shared many details about the project to include that the project planning entails reopening a lodge and casino on this property, similar to previous uses. And on the environmental front, we also shared that it will deliver significant improvement to the water quality, scenic and energy efficiency.”

Earlier this summer, crews started removing a series of blighted cabins east of the former hotel and casino located on the California-nevada state line.

The project, which is limited to the removal of the cabins, will both reduce fire risks and lead to environmental improvements, the Tribune previously reported.

Project officials anticipate removal of the cabins will be completed by the end of the fall season.

As for details for the rest of the property, those remain largely unknown.

“The owner, architects and planners are working with the regulatory agencies to explore various options and they are still working on overall plans for the project,” explained the statement from the Cal Neva project team.

“Revitalizing Cal Neva is a shot in the arm for the entire North Shore,” said North Shore resident Jackie Viviano.