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In 2011, KSL, the owners of Squaw Valley, submitted their proposal for an enormous 101.5-acre, 1000 residence, 132,000-square-foot aquatic center flaunting village. This originally proposed village was too much, too big, too overwhelming for the local community to approve of. After hundreds of community meetings, KSL understood that locals do not want a village of these proportions in their valley.
Just today, KSL released their revised version of their proposed village plans. Here are the key differences according to Squaw’s website:
KEY CHANGES:
- Eliminated 700 bedrooms, totaling one third of the lodging units
- Preserved the day skier experience and key Olympic buildings
- Limited building height to 7 stories and focusing in key areas to protect existing view corridors
- Created focused family and training area
- Reduced and reconfigured Grand Camp into Mountain Adventure Camp
- Strengthened operations at Squaw with relocated Squaw Kids, upgraded skier support and enhanced snow beach
THE NEW VILLAGE PLAN:
– The buildings and areas in grey are part of Squaw’s current landscape, the colored buildings and areas are a part of the new proposed development at Squaw
– Large chunk of current parking lot is retained
– Elimination of previously proposed 132,000-square-foot “Grand Camp” aquatic center
– Keeps members locker room
– Keeps the Olympic House and some other historical buildings
– 700 less bedrooms less than the 1,000 bedrooms in the original plan
– Squaw creek still proposed to be restored at a cost of $1.5 million
THE FORMER VILLAGE PLAN:
– Squaw Creek would be restored and have a walkway put in next to it at a cost of $1.5 million
– Grand Camp = a 132,000-square foot building with indoor aquatic center, indoor play structures, interactive gaming
– The Olympic House would be destroyed & The Chammy would be awkwardly saved
– Ice Rink near funitel
– The rest will mostly be lodging with a sprinkle of restaurants and retail shops
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Please have a look around on Squaw’s website with the new plans and soak it all in. Once you’ve done that, please get back to us and let us know what you think about the new proposal versus the old proposal.
What we think about this project as a community is paramount.
I think people would be way more excited if the place was more affordable and had a reasonable HOA. Full timers in the village would probably make it a little more fun. Market forces make that a little difficult, though.
Sounds quite a bit better, looks like day skiers will have available parking, at least if they get there early. There was no way it was going to remain as is, this looks to be a reasonable compromise, and if they do it right, it might even benefit the community – meaning, hopefully they make it unique, and not like every other cheesy ski base village that exists all over the US or what already exists at Squaw.