STATELINE, Nev. — Building a 143,000-square foot events center requires moving a lot of dirt.

Construction on the new Tahoe South Events Center is underway and more than 50,000 cubic yards of dirt is being excavated from the site at Montbleu Resort Casino & Spa.

It’s not going far.

In cooperation with Edgewood Tahoe and Tahoe Beach Club the dirt is being repurposed for landscaping features and fill dirt.

“This partnership is a great environmental benefit to the project,” said Rick Kozuback, president and CEO of International Coliseums Company, project managers for the events center. “By keeping the dirt in Tahoe, we are not having to put multiple trucks on the road every day to transport to Minden, and Tahoe Beach Club isn’t having to import dirt for their construction. It reduces congestion, wear and tear on the roads, and exhaust emissions in the Basin.”

The multi-purpose facility designed to complement the destination’s gaming and recreational offerings, is expected to finish the majority of the mass excavation to prepare the site for foundation work and vertical construction by mid July. The project will also finish construction in June on a new entrance to the Montbleu parking lot from Lake Parkway East and a new entrance to the resort’s parking garage.

Edgewood Tahoe is using the dirt to build up the landscape along the east side of the golf course adjacent to U.S. Highway 50. The events center project team is grading the dirt and will install permanent irrigation and revegetate the area in the fall.

The events center will provide a venue for conventions, special events and entertainment, as well as a variety of events for the South Tahoe community, including concerts, and family programming, as well as professional and amateur sporting events. It is expected to host up to 130 events a year with opportunities to expand visitation into shoulder seasons and mid-week periods. The anticipated economic impact to the entire community is estimated to be $40-60 million per year.

The project, scheduled for completion in 2022, will feature two levels: an event floor, suites, conference and meeting room level, as well as an event lawn area. Seating for up to 6,000 will be available for concerts, performing arts, trade shows, and sporting events along with a seasonal micro-transit system.

Financing for the $80 million-plus project requires no tax increases for residents. Funding sources include $34 million, or 19% via Douglas County Redevelopment Area #2, created in 2016 to strengthen the area’s economic base through focused attention and financial investment; a $5 per night lodging surcharge on each room at Tahoe Township properties: casinos/hotels, Lodge at Edgewood and vacation rentals will account for 43% of debt service to repay the bonds; and current transient lodging license tax and transient occupancy tax for the remaining 38%.

For more on the Tahoe South Event Center, or to submit an inquiry to host an event, discuss sponsorship, or become a premium seat holder, visit https://tahoedouglasva.org.