Potential South Shore projects reviewed at third economic forum | TahoeDailyTribune.com
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Potential South Shore projects reviewed at third economic forum

Griffin Rogers
griffin@tahoedailytribune.com
Mike Cook of Caltrans speaks about recent projects during an economic forum Tuesday.
Griffin Rogers / Tahoe Daily Tribune |

During a public meeting at Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel on Tuesday, South Shore community leaders discussed the possibility of adding major economic developments in the area.

The projects would potentially translate to millions of dollars in revenue for South Shore governments and businesses. However, there is no time frame as to when the ideas might become a reality, TahoeChamber President “B” Gorman said.

“It’s really too early to say where we are going to go with all of this,” she said Wednesday.



Part three in a series of economic forums hosted by TahoeChamber and the Tahoe Prosperity Center explored four projects for future consideration: a music venue, an interpretive center, a business incubator center and the pursuit of an arts identity.

Presenters showed similar projects in other communities, and then asked the audience — about 130 people — to vote on which they thought would have the greatest potential to positively impact the South Shore.



The majority, who signified their position with a show of hands, appeared to favor a music venue or business incubator center. An interpretive center seemed to receive the lease amount of support.

However, when attendees were asked which of the four ideas they believed was easiest to implement and which could most easily identify a champion, feedback was mixed.

Speaker Tom Greene, of the Tahoe Prosperity Center, said he wasn’t surprised.

“Well, it seems like — without much surprise — we have pretty much diverse opinions and perspectives around this room,” he said at Tuesday’s meeting.

The ideas for the four projects were elevated out of the previous economic forum in spring, Greene said. But one of the purposes of Tuesday’s meeting was to provide additional information to guests, such as costs, returns, challenges and more.

Now that the information is delivered, a follow-up will likely consist of both the identified champion — or champions — and TahoeChamber hosting another conversation to begin the process, Gorman said.

“If the community did choose to pursue one, that wouldn’t preclude us from pursing another one,” she said.

The forum, which also featured updates on several other projects from a dozen community leaders, showed the willingness of different agencies to work together and envision a better South Shore, she said. The partnership signifies a new way of thinking toward economic growth.

“It’s a really good paradigm shift that has taken place,” she said.


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