The view toward land from the docks at Tahoe Keys Marina will be dramatically different in the coming years. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

Sometimes the built environment is so atrocious a remodel is out of the question because the only way to improve things is with a bulldozer.

That’s what the owners of Tahoe Keys Marina believe.

Suntex Marinas, which has owned this prime real estate in South Lake Tahoe since December 2021, hopes the wrecking ball will be put to use in 2027.

“Everything is coming down and we will be building brand new,” Katie Linton, regional manager with Suntex said.

“We want it to be a destination,” she said of the marina and the new businesses that are envisioned for the site. “The project will offer multiple dining options: casual dining, upscale restaurant, café, etc. Additionally, it will feature retail spaces, community gathering areas, and waterfront amenities with direct boat access.”

Linton would not disclose how many millions of dollars it will cost to transform the marina.

Today, people launch their boats and hop on charter vessels at the Keys, but otherwise there is little reason to go there.

With multiple restaurants and shops proposed, as well as outdoor gathering area, the goal is to bring people to the marina who may never get onto the water.

Tahoe Keys Marina project description submitted to TRPA

• Replacement of the existing bulkhead and reconfiguration of the existing boat launch and marine fueling facilities.
• Installation of site-wide stormwater infrastructure, drainage facilities, and BMPs.
• Demolition of all existing upland buildings.
• Construction of four new two-story buildings with total floor area of approximately 60,000 square feet containing concession spaces, marina accessory retail, food and beverage establishments and office space.
• Construction of a 65,000-square-foot water and fire flow storage tank(s) and marina facility to, respectively, accommodate large indoor potable water tank(s) to provide the greater Tahoe Keys area additional fire flow and indoor storage of vessels.
• Construction of a two-story, approximately 23,250-square-foot marina support building which will also house office space, three residential units, boat sales, and a dock master with supportive marina services.
• Community and site amenities including a public waterside promenade, multimodal connectivity, and public restrooms.
• Formal approval of 66 existing boat slips in excess of the 239 slips recognized in the adopted TKM Master Plan.

Source: TRPA

A bit of history

Tahoe Keys Marina was once a bustling lakefront destination, with the Fresh Ketch restaurant one of the most popular eateries on the South Shore for locals and tourists.

Longtime Fresh Ketch owner Bob Hassett in 2013 sold the restaurant to then majority owners of the Tahoe Keys Marina, Donna and Robert Krilich. The El Dorado County Assessor’s Office at the time listed the value of the property and business at $1,224,913. The restaurant closed in 2018.

Today, the net assessed value of the 5.67 acres of land on Venice Drive, according to the Assessor’s Office, is $9,100,513.

The Krilichs bought the Tahoe Keys Marina in early 2009 for more than $20 million. It didn’t take long for them to run it into the ground.

The commercial property at the corner of Venice Drive and Tahoe Keys Boulevard is not owned by Suntex, though it was included in the Krilichs’ purchase.

What Suntex paid for the marina could not be ascertained.

Suntex owns and operates 74 marinas, and manages an additional 18.

The project description submitted by Suntex to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency says it encompasses “approximately 22.5 acres, of which 14.3 acres are submerged” and that it has existed since the early 1950s. That is a decade before the housing development was built.

What the future of the Tahoe Keys Marina will look like. (Image: Suntex)

Future plans 

Even before substantial improvements begin Lynda and Dave Smith are thrilled with Suntex, saying the company’s professionalism and focus on people leasing slips is off the charts compared to the previous owners.

“They are focused on customers,” Dave Smith said, something the both appreciate.

It’s not unusual for the Gardnerville residents to stay on their boat for a day or two or three and never leave the marina.

The couple also looks forward to the structural improvements Suntex has in the works. 

Linton foresees the commercial area catering to boating related businesses, be it apparel, rentals, charters or even a kayak shop. Now 25 commercial charters operate out of the Keys.

Linton hopes the Captain’s Corner remains, albeit with a new vibe. It sells souvenirs, snacks and gifts.

The gathering area is where the current parking lot for the old Ketch restaurant is. That parking area will be eliminated.

Suntex is working with multiple agencies to bring its plans to fruition, including the city (which did not respond to multiple inquiries), Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, and Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board.

“A central aspect of the project’s goal and objective is to increase public recreation and waterway access through the development of substantial site and community amenities, including an open-air plaza, approximately ±1,500 linear feet of publicly accessible waterfront promenade, a central gathering spot of community and recreational events, access and storage facilities for non-motorized recreational uses and public bathrooms with bicycle storage to serve Cove East/Upper Truckee Marsh,” Suntex wrote in its description to TRPA.

The boat ramp location now creates a traffic nightmare, especially on weekends. When the restaurant was operational, it was chaos for diners. It’s also less than an ideal situation when there is an emergency.

The improvements call for moving the launch closer to where people pull into the marina off Venice Drive. There will be two lanes for launching, along with a forklift and crane to get the larger vessels out.

The marina plans to institute a launch reservation system to “ensure appropriate controls are in-place to minimize (aquatic invasive species) exposure, balance the volume of launches with the availability of upland vessel queueing, and promote safe boating practices,” the TRPA document says.

“In addition, vessels that are currently stored seasonally and year-round on outdoor boat racks and ground stands will be relocated inside the year-round climate controlled marina facility to improve the visual and scenic character of the marina while reducing the need for off-site storage and plastic shrink wrapping for winterization.”

TRPA hopes the plan brings the marina into compliance with the Shoreline Plan.

“TRPA documented a number of boat slips above the number permitted for the marina under previous ownership. The project application includes a request to receive the proper allocations for those slips,” TRPA spokesman Jeff Cowen said. Suntex needs another 66 permitted slips to be in compliance. “The Shoreline Plan reserved additional allocations for new boat slips that marinas can apply for, up to the cap. That request will be considered as part of the application review.”

The marina has approximately 270 wet slips for vessels ranging in length from 22 to 100 feet.

The bi-state regulatory agency received Suntex’s application May 21, and said it is in the early review stage and does not have an estimate when decisions will be forthcoming.

Another issue will be the proposed height of buildings. An amendment to the Code of Ordinances is required for Suntex to build the marina facility to 42 feet and other buildings to 38 feet.

Linton would not venture a guess as to how many seasons it will take to build out the project, but said at least two.

While Suntex hosted a meeting this spring, the 60 or so people in attendance were mostly from the neighborhood. Future public meetings about the project are planned, but no dates have been set.

Docks at the Tahoe Keys Marina are being replaced this summer. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

Work this season

Changes started this summer with all new boat docks. It will take a few months to complete.

“We will remove the old Styrofoam that goes into the waterway,” Linton said. She said steel frame trusses will be used, with encapsulated foam, and a concrete composite deck.

Dredging in the marina’s channel is slated to start in September and be done the following month.

The marina will be closed when dredging takes place, but boats will be able to use the channels for much of the time.

“The sediment will stay on site for a period to dry, then it will be removed and taken offsite out of the Tahoe basin,” Linton said. “The east channel at Tahoe Keys Marina has a build-up of over 13,000 cubic yards of sedimentation which is causing navigation challenges. Dredge has not been done in 10 years so there is a lot of material that needs to be removed.”

Note: A version of this story was first published in the Tahoe Mountain News.