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ENLARGE
Thank you Steven Holt, Director of Public Relations for the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, and Don Carr, Realtor for Tahoe Mountain Resorts Real Estate, for showing me around the nearly completed “Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe Hotel” last Thursday.
The architecture of the hotel, the location, the forest setting, and the attention to detail both inside and out, are all stunning. According to Holt, “environmental preservation has been the goal since the arrival of the original planners/architects (on snow shoes) to the site years ago.” The latest in green building techniques and environmental protection have been incorporated into the construction and, it shows.
The Ritz-Carlton will provide the first Five Star hotel experience in the Lake Tahoe/Truckee area with its emphasis on unparalleled quality service. It is also going to be providing hundreds of new jobs and millions of dollars of revenues, wages, and occupancy taxes which will help stimulate our local economy at a time that it is really needed.
Another goal of the Ritz-Carlton is to be very involved with the local community. This not only involves the hiring of hundreds of local workers, but will involve integration with the community through their “Community Footprints” program.
Visitors and locals alike will be encouraged to visit the hotel and to use its facilities including restaurants, bars, spas, pools, shops, etc. “The Ritz-Carlton has developed a warm relaxed environment not only for our hotel guests, but for everyone who wishes to visit,” said Holt. The hotel will be officially opened for business on Dec. 11.
A surprise farewell ... I called Steve and Christal Ames late last week to get a few more details to go along with last week's question of the week answer. Christal mentioned that Steve was out delivering some firewood. When I asked her whether delivering firewood was one of their new business ventures, she answered no, he was delivering the firewood to a friend from their house and that she was packing boxes in preparation of moving. Moving???
Yes, one of our area's most caring and loved couples is leaving next Monday (Nov. 2) to move to Rockport, Maine. Steve will be coaching football (defensive coordinator) at Camden High School in Rockport. Apparently he also has a job lined up back there.
Steve and Christal were raised locally, raised two great kids here, and were involved in several businesses including “Ames Deli Mart” in Tahoe Donner, which they operated for more than 20 years. Both my daughter, Christy, and Alan worked for the Ames at the Deli as did many other local kids and adults.
Ames Deli was a landmark in Tahoe Donner and Steve and Christal did an excellent job of providing quality products and service to locals and visitors alike. They knew everyone and everyone knew them.
The deli was the hangout for construction workers and other locals for lunches. The daily line up at the outdoor BBQ during the summer was synonymous with the Ames “Deli Burger” which became the most popular burger in town. Steve and Christal continued to produce these burgers at events and special occasions even after they sold the Deli.
They were very active in the community. Steve coached for years and the Ames were very involved in community fundraisers and events. They started the first “clean up days” in Tahoe Donner several years before the Town adopted the idea. They were also huge proponents of “buying and hiring local” to keep money and commerce right here at home.
I encourage you to e-mail us with your remembrances of the Ames, and we will dedicate the entire next column to those memories. I feel we owe them a proper tribute!
Steve expressly asked me to say “Thank You to everyone for everything. We absolutely loved this community, and we will miss you all.” I encourage you give them a quick call and thank them personally for their years of love, dedication, and friendship.
Norm and Alan Nicholls of the Nicholls Real estate Group are affiliated with Dickson Realty at 11500 Donner Pass Rd. in Truckee.
The architecture of the hotel, the location, the forest setting, and the attention to detail both inside and out, are all stunning. According to Holt, “environmental preservation has been the goal since the arrival of the original planners/architects (on snow shoes) to the site years ago.” The latest in green building techniques and environmental protection have been incorporated into the construction and, it shows.
The Ritz-Carlton will provide the first Five Star hotel experience in the Lake Tahoe/Truckee area with its emphasis on unparalleled quality service. It is also going to be providing hundreds of new jobs and millions of dollars of revenues, wages, and occupancy taxes which will help stimulate our local economy at a time that it is really needed.
Another goal of the Ritz-Carlton is to be very involved with the local community. This not only involves the hiring of hundreds of local workers, but will involve integration with the community through their “Community Footprints” program.
Visitors and locals alike will be encouraged to visit the hotel and to use its facilities including restaurants, bars, spas, pools, shops, etc. “The Ritz-Carlton has developed a warm relaxed environment not only for our hotel guests, but for everyone who wishes to visit,” said Holt. The hotel will be officially opened for business on Dec. 11.
A surprise farewell ... I called Steve and Christal Ames late last week to get a few more details to go along with last week's question of the week answer. Christal mentioned that Steve was out delivering some firewood. When I asked her whether delivering firewood was one of their new business ventures, she answered no, he was delivering the firewood to a friend from their house and that she was packing boxes in preparation of moving. Moving???
Yes, one of our area's most caring and loved couples is leaving next Monday (Nov. 2) to move to Rockport, Maine. Steve will be coaching football (defensive coordinator) at Camden High School in Rockport. Apparently he also has a job lined up back there.
Steve and Christal were raised locally, raised two great kids here, and were involved in several businesses including “Ames Deli Mart” in Tahoe Donner, which they operated for more than 20 years. Both my daughter, Christy, and Alan worked for the Ames at the Deli as did many other local kids and adults.
Ames Deli was a landmark in Tahoe Donner and Steve and Christal did an excellent job of providing quality products and service to locals and visitors alike. They knew everyone and everyone knew them.
The deli was the hangout for construction workers and other locals for lunches. The daily line up at the outdoor BBQ during the summer was synonymous with the Ames “Deli Burger” which became the most popular burger in town. Steve and Christal continued to produce these burgers at events and special occasions even after they sold the Deli.
They were very active in the community. Steve coached for years and the Ames were very involved in community fundraisers and events. They started the first “clean up days” in Tahoe Donner several years before the Town adopted the idea. They were also huge proponents of “buying and hiring local” to keep money and commerce right here at home.
I encourage you to e-mail us with your remembrances of the Ames, and we will dedicate the entire next column to those memories. I feel we owe them a proper tribute!
Steve expressly asked me to say “Thank You to everyone for everything. We absolutely loved this community, and we will miss you all.” I encourage you give them a quick call and thank them personally for their years of love, dedication, and friendship.
Norm and Alan Nicholls of the Nicholls Real estate Group are affiliated with Dickson Realty at 11500 Donner Pass Rd. in Truckee.
Question of the week
Last week's question: “Ames Deli Mart” was the first retail outlet in Truckee for Burton Snowboards. “In 1982, we hung up a snowboard over the back cooler case with a For Sale sign,” said Steve Ames. “We featured their ‘back country' and ‘performer' boards.”They sold for less than $100 apiece.
Eileen Lyon remembered that her brother bought his first Burton board there. Other players included Mark Brown, Mary De Lisle, and Robin Waters. Sorry for the email address typo … my fault, not the newspaper (Editor's note: We disagree, and regret the error).
This week's question ... Simply send in your recollections of Steve and Christal Ames and you will be a winner. E-mail us at nnicholls@dicksonrealty.com.
