Paradise Valley is getting the long awaited and much teased resort by Ritz-Carlton. If you have visited the Ritz-Carlton’s website at all in the past 2 years, you would think that the Paradise Valley Ritz-Carlton was already in existence. There is a glowing description of the resort from its location to its amenities – but the actual building is not there yet. What was initially an opening date in 2018 was pushed to March 20, 2019…and as of this past Tuesday, February 20, 2018, has now been pushed back to Fall 2019. There is hope that this date will stick however, as both officials of Paradise Valley and executives of the Ritz-Carlton chain have pledged to the opening at the official ground-breaking ceremony.
This branch of the famed franchise has been in plans for the past 15 years. Back in the early – mid 2000s the idea of a five-star resort and residential units. Scottsdale based Five Star Development was quick to latch to the idea and a formal proposal was submitted to Paradise Valley’s town council. Though the council and residents were quick to support the idea of a resort, they were nervous about the massive residential lots that were planned. Paradise Valley is known for its sprawling acreage, with few lots less then an acre on their own. The residential areas of the plan would be smaller, and a number of residents were concerned that with the smaller lots associated with these plans, it would hurt the look, feel and even property values in the town.
They formed an opposition to the proposed plans for the residential lots and named it Preserve Our Paradise. The Town Council and majority of the residents however did not seem to share the negative view of the Preserve Our Paradise residents, and the proposal passed in November of 2008. Jerry Ayoub has been the president of Five Star Development and involved in the proposal this whole time. After the approval in 2008, the Great Recession hit, and Ayoub was unable to begin the planning and construction of the expensive resort. Talks resurfaced over the plans in 2015, and Ayoub was the driving force in bringing it across the finish line.
The resort is part of a plan of the Ritz-Carlton’s future planned community – a major part of it as it has been referred to as the pending centerpiece resort. Between the resort and residence portions, the finished project will sprawl on 122 acres of land, with the resort itself taking up 20 acres of that. It will be a five-star worthy hotel, with 205 room – and the amenities and restaurants one expects to accompany the swankiness promised.
The project boasts about being the first Ritz-Carlton branch to be completely built in the USA since they opened the Dove Mountain one in 2009. It will be located on much sought-after land on Lincoln Drive, and will include breathtaking views of Camelback Mountain. The resort will also bring with it 350 hospitality jobs, and tourists and visitors looking for the tried and true service associated with a quality brand.
