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Crystal Bay, NV…Last night in a marathon 12 hour meeting the TRPA Board approved the project. There were over 100 community members that signed up to make public comments and that took up most of the afternoon.

The planning phase of this project has been 4 years in the making. Below is a release by TRPA on the project”

Lake Tahoe, NV – In a board room still crowded following a 12-hour hearing, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Governing Board voted to approve the Boulder Bay Community Enhancement Project. Four years in the planning, the project will replace the aging Tahoe Biltmore Casino in Crystal Bay, NV with an eco-friendly, mixed-use resort that will significantly reduce stormwater pollution and vehicle emissions associated with the site.

“With science showing us that we can reverse the decline of Lake Tahoe’s clarity by encouraging environmental redevelopment of our town centers, the cost of doing nothing is just too high for the Lake,” TRPA Director Joanne Marchetta said. “Redevelopment projects like Boulder Bay are an important part of the public-private effort to restore Lake Tahoe.”

Once complete, the Boulder Bay site will include a mix of whole ownership condos, hotel units, affordable housing, a small casino, a health and wellness spa, retail and dining space, pedestrian and transit improvements, and a 4-acre community park. In addition, the project plans to pursue LEED certification, a global standard for green building techniques. “

The principal backer of the project is Roger Wittenberg who was one of the founders and developers of the Trex company that many people may know for their recycled decking and building projects. He sees this project as a continuation of a career recycling old products into something new. In this case the product to be recycled is the Tahoe Biltmore and the surrounding area.

After retiring from Trex®, Roger founded International Supply Consortium LLC, which concentrates on projects that employ innovative building technologies and real estate projects that utilize these same sustainable materials. Roger’s vision for Boulder Bay is to create a new model for the resort/community experience that embraces innovative green technologies and provides a sense of place for visitors and locals. Roger lives with his wife Bea in Incline Village, Nevada.

Below we have over two hours of video from the meeting including over an hour before the lunch break of Project Manager Brian Helm going over the high points of the project for the board.