LUCERNE — The Lake County Redevelopment Agency (RDA) is reviewing a proposal from a four-year college interested in using facilities at the Lucerne Hotel.
“I believe we have a strong proposal,” Kelly Cox, executive director of the Lake County RDA, said.
The RDA acquired the historic hotel, also known as the Lucerne Castle, nearly one year ago. The agency issued a request for proposals on June 7, asking many California colleges and universities about the possibility of using hotel facilities for an educational campus, Cox said.
The deadline to reply was Sept. 2 and the RDA received two responses, with only one being a qualified proposal, according to Cox, who said he couldn”t publicly name the college at this time in the review process. Cox said he hopes to present a recommendation on the proposal to the RDA”s board of directors within a month. The Lake County Board of Supervisors also sits as the RDA board of directors.
Should the proposal receive board-of-directors support, it is unclear when the county”s RDA could enter into an agreement because RDAs statewide are unable to enter into new contracts while the legal case determining their fate remains pending. The state budget proposed to eliminate all local RDAs unless they opt into a payment-based alternative redevelopment program. The California Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments later this year on a lawsuit filed by the League of California Cities and the California Redevelopment Association seeking to stop the state”s plan.
