The Buzz: Redding Rancheria looks to build Homewood Suites in Shasta Lake – Redding Record Searchlight

A year after purchasing an 11-acre commercial parcel in Shasta Lake, the Redding Rancheria Economic Development Corp. has picked what brand of hotel it wants to put there.

Gary Hayward, president of the Redding Rancheria Economic Development Corp., told me that the tribe has applied for a Homewood Suites extended-stay hotel. Homewood is a Hilton product, and the Rancheria already owns the Hilton Garden Inn off South Bonnyview Road in Redding.

The Shasta Lake property is on the corner of Shasta Dam Boulevard and Shasta Way, just west of the Arco gas station and across the street from the Rite Aid shopping center.

Once owned by the city, the property has been marketed for a commercial retail center for years.

“We are very interested in seeing that project going forward. It’s very important to the city — that property has been vacant too long,” said Jessica Lugo, Shasta Lake’s assistant city manager.

The Rancheria is working with HBG Design, which also is working with the tribe on its Interstate 5 casino project.

A feasibility study was done on the Shasta Lake property about 10 years ago that showed an extended stay hotel was the best choice for that area, Hayward said.

“We just prefer Hilton, so we asked Hilton, what are our options” he said, adding that they should know if they get approved for a Homewood Suites within the next two months.

The vision is to build a 120-room hotel that would be no more than four stories.

Complementing the hotel would be a 27,000-square-foot retail center made up of two separate multi-tenant buildings of 12,000 square feet and 15,000 square feet.

“The retail space we will develop, most likely a restaurant and fast food and a coffee product,” Hayward said.

Lugo said the site years ago was zoned as a commercial planned district.

“But, of course, that was twenty-some years ago and things have changed as far as how tall a hotel can be built now and the general development has changed,” Lugo said. “We will amend the planned development zone district and make sure it fits the needs of development in the community as well.”

A traffic study also was done years ago by the previous developer that took into account a hotel, grocery store and other retail, Lugo said.

“There were some traffic improvements off Cascade (Boulevard) that needed to be done, but it was pretty minimal. It wasn’t too bad,” Lugo said.  “Those all have to be updated with whatever the Rancheria proposes, but we don’t anticipate it being too significant.”

Hayward said Shasta Lake’s growing cannabis industry and developments like Mountain Gate Meadows in the north part of the city make the hotel and retail center a good bet.

“Just the fact that between Bridge Bay (on Lake Shasta) and Twin View Boulevard (in Redding), there is nothing between there,” Hayward said of chain hotels. “I think it will be convenient for families to stay there who are leaving and coming in to Shasta County.”

Meanwhile, construction on Mountain Gate Meadows, a 590-acre development of homes and commercial and office space, could start next year. The property is between the Mountain Gate/Interstate 5 interchange and the Shasta Dam Boulevard/Interstate 5 interchange on the west side of the freeway.

The Shasta Lake City Council approved the project in December 2015 and the developer has been working on obtaining the proper permits, so construction can start.

Mark Hanson, real estate development manager for Mountain Gate Meadows LLC, said now they are looking at building 1,100 homes, which is down from 1,600. They shrunk the project due to wetlands mitigation.

Mountain Gate Meadows also would feature nearly 200,000 square feet of commercial and professional office space and 236 acres of open space, parks and trails.

It’s the largest project to date that has ever been approved in Shasta Lake.

Chain reaction

It’s was tough week for restaurants in the news.

Roquito’s Taqueria on South Market Street announced Monday it would close by the end of the month and Mimi Grace on Victor Avenue closed later in the week.

Roquito’s owner Roque Carbajal said crime and vandalism problems played a part in his decision. The Mexican restaurant opened in 2016.

Mimi Grace on social media posted that the restaurant was not financially sustainable.

“Along with other changes in our lives, our family feels peace about closing this chapter of our lives,” the post said.

That makes five restaurants in Redding calling it quits since July. For those not keeping score, the others are Wilda’s in downtown Redding, Humble Joe’s on Westside Road and HomeTown Buffet on Churn Creek Road. Wilda’s on Churn Creek Road and Humble Joe’s other Redding location and Anderson restaurant are still open.

But there is good news if you’re a fan of Chipotle Mexican Grill and KFC.

Chipotle, which has a store on Dana Drive, announced it will open a second Redding location early next year. The company has not yet said where.

And KFC will make its return to Redding in early October when it opens on Lake Boulevard between Walgreens and Starbucks. A specific date hasn’t been announced.

Stay tuned.

READ MORE BUZZ

• Wildcard Brewing deal falls through. What’s next for downtown Tied House space?
• It’s a ‘historic’ tax measure for Shasta County. Can voters get behind it?
• Redding rescinds approval of Shasta View ARCO

David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly “Buzz on the Street” column. He’s part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 1-530-225-8219. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.

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