BROADCAST
QUALITY MPEG 2 B-ROLL FOOTAGE - Available after 3:30pm PST,
Dec 9, 2009.
STORY
SUMMARY: (Truckee, Calif.) – The highly anticipated Ritz-Carlton
Highlands, Lake Tahoe opened today to much fanfare, during a Ribbon
Cutting Ceremony this morning at 10:30 am. Northstar-at-Tahoe has received
over thirty inches of snowfall at the summit in the last 48 hours, setting
the stage with near perfect winter conditions for the launch of this
world class destination ski resort, the first resort of a luxury hotelier
in the Lake Tahoe area. The forecast predicts that even more snow will
fall.
FOOTAGE
INCLUDES:
- Panoramic video of The Ritz-Carlton Highlands resort with new snowfall.
- Brief footage of Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.
- Brief interview with Simon Cooper, President and Chief Operating Officer
for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C.
- Brief footage of stunning interiors and contemporary mountain lodge
design.
Footage shot Weds, Dec 9, 2009, plus recent broll.
COMPLETE
RELEASE:
NORTH LAKE TAHOE, CA. – December 9, 2009 – The snow is flying
across the Sierra Nevada Mountain range and the highly anticipated Ritz-Carlton
Highlands, Lake Tahoe opened today to much fanfare, during a Ribbon
Cutting Ceremony this morning at 10:30 am. Northstar-at-Tahoe has received
over thirty inches of snowfall at the summit in the last 48 hours, setting
the stage with near perfect winter conditions for the launch of this
world class destination ski resort, the first resort of a luxury hotelier
in the Lake Tahoe area. The forecast predicts that even more snow will
fall.
Following
five years of design, construction and development phases, The Ritz-Carlton
Highlands, Lake Tahoe opens mid-mountain in Northstar-at-Tahoe resort,
offering the finest ski-in, ski-out experience in California if not
all the world. “This is truly a first of its kind experience for
North Lake Tahoe” said Allen Highfield, General Manager of The
Ritz-Carlton resort. “It has been incredibly exciting to see the
final details fall into place, the training of the Ladies and Gentlemen
and their enthusiasm to welcome our first guests.” The Ritz-Carlton
has created over 350 jobs this year in Northern California, providing
highly respected hospitality jobs and excellent training.
Simon
F. Cooper, President and Chief Operating Officer for The Ritz-Carlton
Hotel Company, L.L.C. personally joined Allen Highfield for the cutting
of the ceremonial ribbon and the welcoming of the first guest. “Lake
Tahoe has always been a destination known for its pristine natural beauty
and skiing, now it will also be known as home to a world-class resort,”
said Cooper. “The arrival of our brand and the opening of The
Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe further enhances the guest‘s
service experience at Northstar-at-Tahoe.”
The Ritz-Carlton
Highlands, Lake Tahoe is the first new-build resort development in the
Lake Tahoe area in decades. Anticipated to be the premier Northern California
contemporary mountain retreat, the $300 million project, situated mid-mountain
in the Northstar-at-Tahoe ski area will feature ski-in, ski-out access
with mountain concierge services. Manzanita, the resort’s signature
restaurant has been created by San Francisco’s James Beard Award
Winning chef Traci Des Jardins. The Highlands Spa is a 17,000 square
foot spa and fitness center with treatments and therapies themed around
water and the woods. The new Highlands Gondola also opens today and
will connect guests between the nearby Village-at-Northstar and The
Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe resort. Perched slope-side within
a 15 minute drive of both Lake Tahoe and the historic town of Truckee,
the year-round destination includes 170 guest rooms, 23 private Ritz-Carlton
Residences and 25 Ritz-Carlton Destination Club residences.
The hotel
is the contemporary legacy of the great mountain lodges built at the
turn of the 20th century, inspired by the iconic Ahwahnee in Yosemite
and the Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood. The hotel was designed as a series
of linked pavilions tucked into the contour of the hillside with a grand
octagonal lobby at the center. The rusticity of the building has been
tempered and modernized through the use of contemporary materials such
floor-to-ceiling windows in the Living Room that provide dramatic views
and natural light. Great care was taken to protect the natural form
of the landscape and to integrate the building seamlessly into its forest
setting. Landmark trees were selected and tagged important so that construction
crews could work around the forest as opposed to clear cutting the site.
The Ritz-Carlton
Highlands will be one of the first major five-star caliber mountain
resorts to seek LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Beyond the pedestrian-friendly design of the site, some of the environmental
features include underground parking instead of outdoor asphalt lots,
the use of recycled steel, and the incorporation of energy efficient
heating and cooling systems. The Highlands Gondola acts as public transportation
connecting the resort to the Village-at-Northstar below.
For more
information about The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe please contact
Steven H. Holt at 530-562-3016 or visit www.ritzcarlton.com/laketahoe.
In addition
to the hotel opening, The Ritz-Carlton Club, Lake Tahoe will welcome
Members on December 18. Adjacent to The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake
Tahoe, the 25 two-, three- and four-bedroom destination club residences
(78 residences at build-out) ranging from approximately 1,423 to 2,434
square feet will enjoy dramatic mountain and valley views of the Sierra
Nevada. Currently, fractional ownership prices range from the low $100,000s
to more than $500,000 per deeded, Home Club Membership with use 21 days
annually. With pricing averaging $260,000 for 10,000 points, Portfolio
Memberships are also available. For more information visit www.ritzcarltondestinationclub.com.
The Ritz-Carlton
Hotel Company, L.L.C., of Chevy Chase, Md., currently operates 71 hotels
in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean.
More than 30 hotel and residential projects are under development around
the globe with future openings including Dubai International Financial
Centre, United Arab Emirates; Dove Mountain, Tucson, Arizona; and Los
Angeles at LA Live. The Ritz-Carlton is the only service company to
have twice earned the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality
Award, which recognizes outstanding customer service. For more information,
or reservations, contact a travel professional, call toll free in the
U.S. 1-800-241-3333, or visit the company web site at www.ritzcarlton.com.
****
SOUNDBITES:
- Simon Cooper, President and Chief Operating Officer for The
Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC
LOCATORS:
- Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort, CA.
Footage
provided by: Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe
Contact:
Steven H. Holt, Director of Public Relations
Email: steven.holt@ritzcarlton.com
(530) 562-3016
TAPE
COPIES AND DUBS: To request a hard copy/dub of any segment
on BetaSP or Mini DV, please call (530)583-4206 or email eric@tahoemediacenter.com
