SAM Magazine—Homewood, Calif., Oct. 14, 2024—Homewood Mountain Resort will not operate for 2024-25 after its financial partner withdrew its support for this upcoming winter season, the Lake Tahoe ski area said in an announcement published on its website. Homewood cited financial viability and delays in approvals to proposed updates of the resort’s 2011 master development plan reasons for the decision, and points to a local group originally formed to contest ownership’s idea of changing Homewood into a membership-based ski area as a contributor to the delays.

“In May 2024, [Homewood Mountain Resort] submitted an application for minor revisions to the 2011 approved Master Plan to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency,” the announcement said. “… The revisions make no changes whatsoever to the Master Plan’s central goal of restoring Homewood as a key gathering center for Lake Tahoe’s West Shore. Anyone who wants to buy a pass and ski at Homewood will continue to be able to do so on equal footing with anyone else.   

“… To date, we are still awaiting approval of the amendments, including the Madden Chair replacement (gondola) permit submitted over a year ago, to move forward on ski infrastructure and other investments. Hypothetical fears and false rumors regarding public access to the mountain from Keep Homewood Public’s leadership have dramatically slowed the pace of the approval process.   

“Without a clear path forward, our financial partner has withdrawn their support for this ski season. As a result, we are now in the regrettable position of being unable to operate or sell season passes for the 2024-25 season. We understand the deep disappointment this announcement will cause. It goes without saying that this decision was not made lightly.”

Homewood is owned by real estate investment firm JMA Ventures, which acquired the resort in 2006. JMA also owns Red Lodge Mountain, Mont., as well as a variety of other commercial properties. JMA’s 2011 master plan for Homewood—which includes replacing a chairlift with a gondola, building a hotel and private residences, and upgrading the base area facilities—was largely supported by the community and ultimately approved by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA). 

After years of declining skier visits blamed on traffic caused by the proliferation of Tahoe resorts accessed by the Epic and Ikon passes, JMA in 2022 began to explore the possibility of changing Homewood’s model from a public ski area to members-only, partnering with Mohari Hospitality and Discovery Land Company around the same time. The aim was to improve the financial viability of the resort, which “has been subsidizing the community’s ski experience while operating at a deficit during the approved Master Plan’s planning and permitting phases,” Friday’s announcement said.

The plan to transition to a members-only resort was tabled in November 2023 following opposition led by Keep Homewood Public. Homewood then submitted the master plan amendments to the TRPA in May 2024, and reportedly had a successful meeting regarding the updates in September. 

While the resort cited delays in approvals as one of the reasons for not operating this winter, the Tahoe Daily Tribune reported today that the TRPA is awaiting more details from Homewood regarding public access policies, employee housing, and a fire safety plan. 

“When Homewood Mountain Resort finalizes its work, we will be able to bring the proposed changes to the Governing Board,” TRPA public information officer Jeff Cowen told the Daily Tribune. 

As the process plays out, Homewood expressed confidence in a future resolution that will allow the ski area to reopen with the proposed improvements, and said it is helping affected staff.

“The team at HMR remains focused on working through the approval process at this year’s upcoming planning meetings with community members and governing agencies in the hope that we can get the gondola installed next year and someday soon resume operations at the resort,” the announcement said. “We are also working to support every employee so they have alternative employment or can stay with us while we work through the approval processes.”