Developers Withdraw Plans To Turn Tahoe's Homewood Into Private Club

Plans to turn Homewood Ski Resort into a private club have been scrapped, following a public backlash and community pressure. The decision was announced at a community meeting on November 7, 2023.

In 2022, developer JMA Ventures, supported by partners Mohari Hospitality and Discovery Land Company, announced their intention to
restrict public access to Homewood Mountain Resort!

The proposal to make Homewood a private club had been met with widespread opposition from locals, who feared that it would exclude them from their beloved ski resort. The plan also called for the elimination of day passes and season passes, which would have made it even more difficult for locals to afford to ski at Homewood.

A legal objection was raised by the Keep Homewood Public organization stating that the development would contradict the 2011 Master Plan, in which “the new Homewood Resort design is conceived as an alpine village community in the architectural style of the classic old Tahoe lodges,” They go on to say that JMA Ventures, Mohari Hospitality, and Discovery Land Company have already begun building homes in a “mountain modern” architectural style on Fawn Street.

The decision to reverse the plans was made public at a community meeting, when Homewood staff announced that the resort would not be switching to a members-only model and would continue with daily lift ticket sales. Homewood will sell the lifetime memberships planned as part of the “private club” model, developers announced, but will not eliminate season passes or daily lift sales for the public.

The decision to keep Homewood public was met with relief and celebration from the community. "This is a huge victory for the community," said one local resident. "Homewood is a part of our history and our culture, and we're so glad that it will remain open to everyone."

The decision to scrap the private club plans is a major setback for the developers who were behind the proposal. They had hoped to make Homewood a more exclusive and upscale resort, but they were ultimately unable to overcome the opposition from the local community.

The decision to keep Homewood public is a victory for the people of Tahoe, and it is a reminder of the importance of preserving our public spaces. Homewood is a treasure, and we are lucky to have it.

Here are some of the reasons why the private club plan was scrapped:

• Public backlash: The plan was met with widespread opposition from locals, who feared that it would exclude them from their beloved ski resort.
• Community pressure: The local community organized and rallied against the plan, making their voices heard to the developers and elected officials.
• Economic concerns: The plan would have made it more difficult for locals to afford to ski at Homewood, which would have had a negative impact on the local economy.

The decision to keep Homewood public is a testament to the power of the people. When a community comes together to stand up for what they believe in, they can make a difference.