Heavenly ski resort plans upgrades at Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (AP) - Despite the recession, Heavenly Mountain Resort is moving ahead with plans for a new lodge, club and other upgrades on Lake Tahoe's south shore.

The ski resort that straddles the California-Nevada border expects to begin construction this summer of a 750-seat lodge near the top of the Gondola, said resort CEO Blaise Carrig.

The resort also plans to develop a club in Heavenly Village that would include amenities such as lockers and a spa. The project was put on hold when the recession hit, but should move forward as the economy improves, he said.

"Our view as a company in these times is we're moving forward," Carrig told the Tahoe Daily Tribune. "We're not static and we're not trenching."

Plans also call for a chairlift connecting the Sky Express chairlift to the top of the Gondola and replacement of the Galaxy chairlift with a high-speed quad chairlift.

The resort evaluates which capital projects to undertake on an annual basis and does not have a projected timeline for the chairlift projects, Carrig said.

Heavenly's attention is likely to expand beyond just the ski slopes and mountain village, Carrig added.

The company is looking at opportunities elsewhere at Tahoe, including the possibility of managing recreational attractions being under-funded or cut by state agencies such as Emerald Bay Campground, he said.

Tahoe's south shore is undergoing a "shift in dynamics" from gambling to a more recreation-focused tourist destination, Carrig said, and Heavenly is likely to play a major role in the transition.

"We think we can be an emerging player," Carrig said. "People just see us as a ski entity, but we're much more than that."

Broomfield, Colo.-based Vail Resorts operates Heavenly, as well as the Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone resorts in Colorado.