Exit133

September 25, 2014 · Exit133

Latest On Plans for Chambers Bay Resort

The News Tribune has the latest on plans for Chambers Bay Resort, and the 370,000 square-foot resort sounds kind of swanky...

  • 5-story, 258-room hotel
  • Conference center with 17 meeting rooms and full food and beverage service (in what is now the Pierce County Environmental Services building, with the addition of a ballroom)
  • 180-seat cafe and restaurant
  • Three bars (including one on the rooftop)
  • 8,000 square-foot spa
  • Swimming pool
  • Driving range
  • Parking for more than 700 vehicles (for resort guests and the public)

The existing golf pro shop and restaurant would be demolished to make room for the new facility, which would also include amenities separate from the hotel: a larger pro shop, men's and women's lockers with spa areas, and a new bar and restaurant.

Renderings shared by the TNT show a boomerang-shaped hotel pointing out over the Chambers Bay property. A middle section of the lower level is open to allow for views of the scenery from the ground level arrivals area on the inland side of the hotel. Details of the building itself appear fairly generic, at least at this stage in the design process.

The TNT reports that the developer plans to add walking and biking trails to the property, along with a second golf course designed by the same firm that did the original Chambers Bay course. Plans for that second course, which would be golf cart-accessible, could be ready as early as mid-October.

The timeline for a decision from the County (including updates to the master site plan), as well as the City's of University Place and Lakewood puts any construction well after next year's US Open at Chambers Bay.

When plans were shared with the Pierce County Council, some council members expressed concern over maintaining public access to the publicly-owned property around the resort (trails, parks, playground, and the Chambers Bay Golf Course). Documents from the developer promise public "access to the open spaces along the edges of the existing golf course and along the waterfront will be maintained and enhanced."

Even though Chambers Bay isn't in Tacoma, it is an asset for all of Pierce County. What do you think of the proposed plans?

Read more, including a couple aerial pictures, from the TNT. 

Filed under: Developments, Elsewhere, Sports, University Place, Lakewood

6 comments

  • John September 25, 2014

    Granted the images don't lend themselves to good insight regarding design elements, but it looks like a gigantic motel. There needs to be a little more style or local materials incorporated than a purely functional space with bland/drab 60's facade. It looks as though it will maximize the spectacular views, which is good. Nevertheless, I get the sense there will be continued tension on access through the full detail design stage; a lot of people appreciate being able to use the space down towards the water- any significant reduction will result in stakeholder backlash, so I'm curious how they plan to navigate that section. I also anticipated some type of a boat access or boathouse/grill/bar to take advantage of the existing pylons on the shore. I think that would play well to the demographic they mentioned in the articles that need carts.

  • Jesse September 25, 2014

    Remake the Tacoma Hotel. A hotel there needs to be grand enough to match the world class golf course there, mean something to the community, and be built with views in mind. A Tacoma Hotel redux qualifies.

  • ckarnes September 25, 2014

    Looking at this from a transit service perspective, Route 53 will have to be extended to this complex and we'll have to switch out routing along W 40th. Otherwise there won't really be service of this complex within a mile. There's the same problem with Point Ruston. We don't currently have service that's easily extended. Route 10 and 11 both approach Point Defiance and the ferry terminal from the south, but would have to double-back to Point Ruston and find an appropriate turnaround. The more economic development we have on the fringes means that either we choose between not serving it or spreading thin already stretched resources.

  • Roger September 25, 2014

    The graph of the new proposed hotel on Chambers Bay does NOT integrate with the Pacific NW. If you want to know how resorts external should look go to Canada BC. Preditor Ridge and others in BC appeal more to the look color feel and materials of the NW. Rock exterior, NW colors, large wood beams, very majestic look and feel. Who ever this LA architect is just flipped a photo from his album and gave it to the County. This is not a good fit for Chambers Bay.

  • Christine September 26, 2014

    The Elks did a nice job of fitting into the PNW style with their new lodge. There's no reason to make this so boring and out of place. could it be the same basic building with a different look?

  • James September 26, 2014

    That is an awesome looking hotel! Keep in mind, those are conceptual renderings. Nothing will ever look that soft, white, fuzzy or transparent. Nor will you look at it from most those angles, unless you're a drone. In terms of hotels, that's a huge investment and a great looking building. I'd consider doing some wind studies, given the open-air first floor breezeway (wind tunnel). But I'm sure that they'll suss all that out. In the way of local materials, you do see wood (on walls between decks) and tons of stone. I'm sure the material palette will be much richer than these renderings let on. It's the rendering style, not the actual design, that's leading people to have concerns. Valid concerns, but taking the renderings too literally. What a huge investment in Tacoma tourism, even if it's in UP.