Sandpoint, ID

2009 marks the year that Sandpoint puts it's name on the "tennis map" with THE BLACK DIAMOND TENNIS INVITATIONAL...aptly dubbed, "The Most Beautiful Tennis Tournament in the Country!" (Maybe the world).

Invitations were sent out to the top players from the Inland Northwest with the idea that the first 24 to respond would get the "invite". A few hours later the tournament draw was filled. This event will be EPIC!

Not only can we look forward to great tennis, but the event dovetails with the Schweitzer Fall Fest & Music Festival...a celebration of another great summer on the Mountain. It will be just a matter of weeks before the first snowfall graces the Schweitzer slopes and Sandpoint will be burning once again with SKI FEVER. While Fall Fest is technically a microbrew tasting celebration (plus wine tasting and soda tasting) there are events for the whole family...wall climbing, mountain biking, chairlift rides, bungee bouncing, hiking and FREEMUSIC!

THE BLACK DIAMOND TENNIS INVITATIONAL will be front & center this year, however. The tournament takes place on two courts placed in the center of the village between the two major high speed detachable chair lifts on Schweitzer's front side. The format is unique:

There will be a DRAFT by the 2 Team Captains on Friday (Sept. 4) late afternoon at Pucci's Pub on the hill, all are invited, including families!

Davis Cup Team Style format. Each overall team will have 6 doubles teams, seeded in order. The top 3 teams of each will play a round robin against the other team's top 3, as will the bottom 3 teams. Awards, prizes and t-shirts!

...and the heavens opened up before us, parting the clouds, for the angels sang on high...

...or at least that's how it felt. For a freakish two weeks we had incredibly unusual cool weather. Gone were the "I could have fried an egg on the sidewalk days" to "Dear Lord, can anybody spare a parka!" Not kidding. The norm of mid-90s to low 100 degree temperatures gave way to nightly lows in the 40s. Plus, given the atmospheric conversion, or is it inversion, daily downpours gave rise to the parting of the Red Sea/Lake Pend Oreille. Okay, enough with the Biblical asides.

Seriously, seemed like daily a deluge would soak us right before show time, then dry for the remainder of the day. Unfortunately, Dyno, our Festival imperial leader, put it mildly when she stated, "It definitely put a damper on this year's festival." For three weeks I had Dyno Wahl on my Tuesday radio show to talk about our premier music fest, then to wrap it a couple of days after it finished.

Festival at Sandpoint 2009 saw great acts like Poco, Boz Scaggs, Blues Traveler, and Clint Black. The Festival is fourteen main performances on eight separate days over a two week period. This year several other musical talents also graced the stage and War Memorial Field to add a more local flava' than the event has had in recent years. For instance, on the Finale Sunday the Festival also has, for the price of an admission ticket, a wonderful wine tasting, during which a couple of different local musical talents played their stuff, much to our delight.

I was there every night but one, either doing my volunteer thing, or helping my friend Gary Peitz with his booth from Dish Home Cooking, and on the last day, having done so for the last few years, putting on the Finale Winemakers Dinner. Last year we had twenty vintners presenting; this year we added five more. So, the dinner served a total of over 70 people.

Another epic sight are the Ospreys that swoop and soar above the crowd. The tall lights meant to illuminate the field for night games also provides nests for several of these raptors. One wonders if they enjoy the music, or do the many people make them agitated enough to do their nightly aerial acrobatics? Certainly there are often crowds there. Maybe it is a mix of both, with this or that Osprey flying to the tunes, while others are protecting their nests with ever vigilant flight.

Getting back to the weather, it seemed like every night, after a brief rain, we would watch the ominous clouds approach, then part and clear above us, only to form again past us and continue with their cats and dogs ways.

So, those who might have come locally or in neighboring communities like Spokane or Coeur d'Alene would look out their windows and see the clouds, and many opted not to attend this year. While ticket sales don't make up the total of revenue needed to operate such a renowned event, it is an important part, as Dyno explained: "While this year was by anyone's yardstick a success, we were down about twelve percent. That may not sound like much, but twelve percent for us is around $60,000. That hurts. So, now that the music is over, we all take about two weeks off, then start the fund raising for next year." The horde of personnel that man the fest are mostly volunteers, but the sponsors and donations are a large part of the total revenue. So, even if we were in the red this year, that was an anomaly. Dyno and her team had already lowered projections given the state of the economy, but things are already looking up for next year.

Setup is mainly done by the army of volunteers. Memorial Field is transformed into a great music venue. This takes about a week prior and after the actual concerts. The tent goes up, hundreds and hundreds of plants are brought in, decorating is days long, and chairs, tables, and signs, along with uncountable other parts and parcels make what appears to be a permanent fixture.

It wasn't always like this. Look back at pictures from a quarter century ago, and the Festival was a weekend concert event where the Spokane Symphony came to town for a few hundred local listeners. Then some local acts got involved. Things kind of changed once Willie Nelson played here. Now, it is a world-class act.

For me, as a simple observer, the Festival seemed like a great success, given the rain and economy. The herds of people seemed as good as previous years, and I absolutely loved every night.

Some of the acts stood out as memory-makers. I especially loved Jonatha Brooke, the Subdudes, and Boz Scaggs was like listening to a CD. Given that his band has been together for half my lifetime, their perfection was a treat. The rain also provided a repeat of last year. The Spokesman Review reported, 'Donavon Frankenreiter is already legendary in Sandpoint because of his performance last year. His set was cut short by thunderstorms, but he then jumped out in the audience and played acoustically, as if around a big campfire, and then ended up at Eichardt's Pub, where he played for hours.' I was at that concert last year, and after leaving went downtown driving on First Avenue then Cedar looking to see where the party was. In front of Eichardt's was a mulling crowd, so we decided to go elsewhere, not knowing who was playing inside. It was just too crowded for us. Oh, brother! This story has become kind of an urban myth, in that Sandpoint only has around 9,000 people, and listening to the stories, you would guess that 10,000 were at Eichardt's that night.

The way it really goes is that they don't cancel because of rain. Truth is the Festival will have any group willing to continue playing unless there is thunder and lightning. So, last year Donavon had the light show, this year it just sprinkled. The fans were intrepid though. At opening bell there are always crowds looking to get in and stake out their favored places with blankets and such, most right in front of the stage. One of the funniest things to watch in Sandpoint is to see the first 100, who are handed numbers for entry, race across the field to throw down the blankets, claiming this or that space as their own. We were so sure, given the soggy field and all, that someone would lose their footing and do some kind of America's Funniest Home Videos kind of flip. Watched every day, and it never happened, but the racers evoked giggles nonetheless.

2009 was a good year for music in North Idaho, and the Festival at Sandpoint did what it does best. It placed smiles on young and old alike, brought a few visitors into town with their accompanying dollars, and lifted spirits for two magical weeks along the shores of the Pend Oreille.

Festival at Sandpoint

Gary Lirette, REALTOR® & host of the radio shows North Idaho Business as well as North Idaho Arts on KSPT & KBFI in Sandpoint & Bonners Ferry. When you need your real estate questions answered...

E-mail Gary or call 208-610-1384

www.SandpointID.net - To learn all about Sandpoint and North Idaho

www.RealtySandpoint.com - For Sandpoint Realty

www.SkiSchweitzer.net - To visit Schweitzer Mountain's Community Web

Seasons at Sandpoint has announced that they will be moving forward with construction of eight luxury lakefront townhomes to complement the 72 existing condominium residences, all of which are waterfront with wide open views over Lake Pend Oreille.

This news comes on the heels of Seasons recent announcement that they have retired all outstanding bank debt on the property. This is great news for the resort real estate business in North Idaho, as it provides a stable environment and the means to move forward with a very high profile resort condominium development located in downtown Sandpoint. Seasons occupies a nice niche in the marketplace, that of a full-service luxury condo hotel, in town and on Lake Pend Oreille.

With the troubles that the Idaho Club has had of late its nice to see another development coming out with positive news. Dover Bay Waterfront Resort is another nearby resort community that is very stable financially and continuing to move forward with construction projects. The Marina Town condominiums at Dover are probably the closest offering to what Seasons of Sandpoint has, yet one or the other typically appeals to a particular buyer as they are each unique products.

The general contractor for the new Seasons townhomes will be Spokane-based Bison Builders. They will begin building these three-story townhomes, approximately 4000 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 3.5 baths, 3 balconies, and private interior elevators. Buyers have the option of a pre-selected luxury finish or can complete their own finish package after closing. These townhomes will not only be the creme of the crop at Seasons but really will become some of the most luxurious residences in the region. All Seasons owners benefit from a full time concierge, destination spa and fitness, private beach and pool, and a personal boat slip at the Seasons marina.

The first four townhomes are expected to be complete by Spring of 2010, however they are available now from the high one millions with some nice sales incentives offered.

Real estate sales at The Seasons have actually picked up lately, however some of these deals have been resales at aggressively low prices. Buyers right now have a great opportunity here if this is the right product for them. There is currently a resale unit, with 1400 square feet and 2 bedrooms, directly lakefront, priced at $499,000. There have been 7 closed and pending sales this year at Seasons, which isn't bad at all. Prices range from the low point in Feb 09 of $450,000, to a 4000 square foot penthouse pending at $2.2 million. Prices seem to have stabilized as the same type unit that sold at $450k in Feb just went for $550k in August.

If you are interested in learning more about Seasons at Sandpoint, or Marina Town at Dover Bay, or perhaps lower price waterfront condos in Hope or Sandpoint, visit www.SandpointResortRealty.com or contact Rick at 208-304-5665, rick@sandpointresortrealty.com

The two week Festival at Sandpoint ended with a bang (literally, with fireworks) on Sunday evening after the Spokane Symphony's Benny Goodman tribute. Once again this Festival proved to be an amazing time with friends and family, listening to some great music.

As a member of the Sandpoint community, I feel obligated to support the Festival with season passes each year (even though I don't always get excited about every show). I think this is one aspect that makes our Festival so unique. There is a wide variety of music each year, from 70s rock, to reggae, to country, to alternative, you name it. My wife and I go to every night's event and end up enjoying most of them.

For example I have never been a big country music fan, other than classic Cash or Nelson. But Mandy, my wife, is a HUGE country fan. So I begrudgingly went to the Clint Black concert on Saturday night....and I LOVED IT! The opening act, GYPSY, was phenomenal. They had more of a punk rock look to them and played a combination of gypsy jazz (ala Django Rhinehart) and bluegrass. Instrumentally they were incredible.

For Clint Black I really expected a 'yawner', but the show was high energy all the way through. There is a reason that Clint is one of the top country music stars of all time, and we really are fortunate to get high caliber performances in little Sandpoint Idaho. His band was amazing, particularly the fiddler and his lead guitarist. Clint even hopped on the drums himself for one song. They played a wide variety of music, including an incredible Willie Nelson tune, some bluegrass, classics like 'Nothing But the Taillights', and probably my favorite was his encore with the Eagles song, 'Desperado'. He ended up getting the entire audience to stand up and sing along to several of his songs...including my wife Mandy who can't sing at all and almost never lets me hear her. :)

The Festival at Sandpoint is such a unique festival not only because of the caliber of musical acts, but because of the real neighborhood feel that you get. The venue is Memorial Field in downtown Sandpoint, under the stars on Lake Pend Oreille. You can bring your own blanket, picnic basket, or booze and just do your own thing. Babies and kids are running around, you run into all your friends, and it truly feels like a private party in the backyard. Memorial Field holds about 3000 people, which in a town of about 8000 is pretty good. But somehow it always feels more like 300 people.

Sandpoint is a town of festivals and community events, but The Festival at Sandpoint is certainly the top dog. Its another reminder of just how special of a place we have here.

Schweitzer Mountain has begun construction on four luxury residences at Trappers Creek, the ski-in/ski-out neighborhood located above the Schweitzer Village adjacent to the Basin Express chair. This will serve as the first real introduction to Fractional Ownership in the North Idaho resort market, a real estate sales model that has served other ski destinations very well.

Schweitzer has hired Brent Baker of Baker Construction here in Sandpoint Idaho as the general contractor. This was a great selection in my opinion, as Brent is very much a Sandpoint local with extensive experience building at Schweitzer over the years. Jim Ruscitto, a prominent Seattle architect, has been working with Schweitzer on the design, which can be described as ‘rustic contemporary' or ‘modern mountain', with a nice balance of woods and stone, large balconies to enjoy the summer, and orientations that will maximize views of Lake Pend Oreille. The full ownership home is slated for Lot 8 and will be approximately 3400 square feet, while the three fractional ownership homes will offer 3 bedrooms and approximately 2400 square feet.

Fractional Ownership, or Private Residence Clubs, are a new offering in the Inland Northwest, but offer a model that has been very successful in other resort and ski destinations around the country. Current plans at Schweitzer call for 1/8 shares that would include club amenities yet to be determined. Michael Burns, an experienced Fractional Ownership Consultant has been working with Schweitzer's ownership to develop this plan.

The beauty of Fractional Ownership is that owners are given a deed to property (unlike a timeshare), providing the benefits of equity and appreciation, yet without the hassles of having to be responsible for a home that is only part-time. If someone is spending $350,000 (as a random example), they could stay in a fractional residence that might cost $1.5 million rather than buy an older, smaller condo on their own for the same price.

So what is the catch? Perhaps the biggest impediment is in securing good financing for fractional ownership, at least in today's financial market. Schweitzer may be addressing this issue by helping with some of these finance options, which would be a very smart move on their part. The other challenge is that the dues structure tends to be relatively high for residence clubs, in order to pay for not only the amenities of the club but also the increased administration that it takes to effectively run one of these.

All in all I believe this is a very smart move for Schweitzer. A big goal for ownership is obviously to bring more bodies to the slopes, to spend money on ancillary services and support a vibrant village. Fractional Ownership makes this happen, while also opening up a price point that will be significantly lower than a full ownership offering in the same location. If all goes to plan, Schweitzer will be able to launch this sales effort in time for the 2009 Christmas Holiday, with the first model fast-tracked and ready for occupancy as soon as February 15, 2010. The other units would then be completed near the end of the upcoming ski season and ready to close by late Spring 2010.

If you'd like to learn more about Fractional Ownership opportunities at Schweitzer, or other possibilities in the Sandpoint market, please send an email to Rick@SandpointResortRealty.com, or call my direct line at 208-304-5665. You might also visit my website at http://www.SandpointResortRealty.com to stay up to date on the latest resort real estate offerings in North Idaho.