Wednesday, March 17, 2004

Sun Valley to renovate Lodge rooms

Work to commence later this month

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"Probably about 74 rooms will be remodeled this spring and the rest will get done this fall. The lodge will be open sometimes and closed sometimes."

— JACK SIBBACH, Sun Valley Co. marketing and public relations director

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By GREGORY FOLEY
Express Staff Writer

Guests at the Sun Valley Lodge will soon find new décor and modern amenities that could help reaffirm the historic hotel as one of the premier vacation destinations in the West.

Jack Sibbach, Sun Valley Co. director of marketing and public relations, confirmed this week that the company is moving forward with plans to remodel all 148 guest rooms in the 1936 lodge.

In addition, Sibbach said, Sun Valley Co. plans to remodel the porte cochere at the entrance to the structure. The renovated carport and entry area will be fashioned to match the recently reconstructed porte-cochere at the Sun Valley Inn, he noted.

Sibbach said work crews starting March 29 will commence the first phase of the project.

"Probably about 74 rooms will be remodeled this spring and the rest will get done this fall," he said. "The lodge will be open sometimes and closed sometimes."

Guest rooms will be remodeled with new carpets, draperies, bedspreads and some new furniture. They will also be outfitted with new plasma screen televisions and linked to a new air-conditioning and heating system.

"In a hotel like this, you’re almost constantly remodeling," Sibbach said.

The last time Sun Valley Co. completed a major of remodel of the lodge was in 1985.

The major remodel project follows a multi-million dollar makeover of the Sun Valley Inn and Limelight Room conference center commenced in 2002.

"The comments about the Inn have been very positive," Sibbach said.

Sun Valley Co. is also considering remodeling this year its Columbine Room, Camas Room and Lupine Room conference areas.

Sibbach said the porte cochere area of the lodge will likely be closed for reconstruction in late April and May, prompting temporary use of the rear of the lodge as the main entrance.

He said Sun Valley Co. has not determined what parts of the lodge interior will be kept open during the different phases of construction. However, public areas of the lodge will be kept open as much as possible, he noted.

"It is unclear right now how it will affect Gretchen’s (dining room), the bowling alley, the pool and the Lodge Dining Room."

Sun Valley Co. is expected to release the details of the plan before the end of the month. A March 16 meeting to discuss details of the project was postponed.

Sibbach said the project has not had not prompted an immediate hike in Sun Valley’s room rates.

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.