Konocti Harbor

Konocti Harbor is a resort and music venue in Kelseyville, California.[1] It is situated at the base of Mount Konocti on the south shore of Clear Lake, the largest freshwater lake interior to California.[2] Its amenities include a spa, a miniature golf course, a marina, and two Olympic-size swimming pools.[1]

Contents

History

The resort was founded in 1959 by Joseph Mazzola, president of United Association Local 38, a union of Northern California plumbers.[3] The intention behind the formation of the resort was to provide low-cost vacation housing for union members.[2][4]

In 1982, a federal judge took control of the pension fund of the union, which owned Konocti Harbor, over allegations of financial improprieties involving the resort;[2] in 2004, the U.S. Department of Labor again sued the union, alleging that $36 million of pension funds had been improperly diverted to the resort.[5] Mazzola died in 1989, in a car crash near the resort,[2][3] but the Mazzola family continues to own much of the land surrounding the resort.[6]

Renovation

In 1990, Greg Bennett was hired as the general manager of Konocti Harbor. He renovated the resort and turned it into a concert venue. Bennett eventually expanded his concert hall, the Joe Mazzola Showroom, from 350 seats to 1000;[2][4][7] Performance Magazine called it "the best small concert venue in the country".[8] As the resort's concert business expanded, Bennett also added outdoor concerts in a 5000-seat converted softball field.[2][4][7]

Closure

Konocti Harbor became one of the biggest employers in Lake County, employing up to 700 workers,[9][10] but as of 2007 it was unprofitable, and the Lake County supervisors denied a request to convert it into a casino.[6] Its owners attempted to sell it, but were unsuccessful.[11] In late 2009 WhiteStar Advisors, the management company that had been hired by the court, announced that Konocti Harbor would be shut down "temporarily but indefinitely".[9][10] The closure seriously damaged the local tourist economy, already hard-hit by the global economic downturn.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b DeFao, Janine (March 20, 2008), "Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa", San Francisco Chronicle, http://articles.sfgate.com/2008-03-20/entertainment/17169519_1_hot-tub-sofa-bed-pools .
  2. ^ a b c d e f Selvin, Joel (July 18, 2002), "Rocking the lake / Konocti Harbor comes of age as music venue", San Francisco Chronicle, http://articles.sfgate.com/2002-07-18/entertainment/17553558_1_rock-n-roll-holiday-camp-general-manager-greg-bennett .
  3. ^ a b "Joseph Mazzola; Chief of S.F. Plumbers Union", Los Angeles Times, August 15, 1989 .
  4. ^ a b c Vigil, Delfin (June 18, 2006), "Greetings From Konocti Harbor", San Francisco Chronicle, http://articles.sfgate.com/2006-06-18/entertainment/17299764_1_tim-mcgraw-greg-bennett-concerts .
  5. ^ "Feds Sue Plumber's Union Over Konocti Harbor", KRXI-TV, November 27, 2004, http://www.foxreno.com/news/3952023/detail.html .
  6. ^ a b Smith, Matt (February 14, 2007), "Harboring a Land Bonanza: Do union members know their boss stands to benefit from turning their pension fund investment into a gambling casino?", SFWeekly, http://www.sfweekly.com/2007-02-14/news/harboring-a-land-bonanza/ .
  7. ^ a b "Konocti Harbor provides prime cuts in shows, accommodation and dinner", Contra Costa Times, July 8, 1995 .
  8. ^ Delsol, Christine (June 9, 2002), "Clear Lake A summer place / Popsicle-melting-nights and old-time cottages on the shore", San Francisco Chronicle, http://articles.sfgate.com/2002-06-09/travel/17548844_1_fishing-boats-clear-lake-state-park-lake-county .
  9. ^ a b "Konocti Harbor Resort and Spa to close Nov. 10", Newsday, September 10, 2009, http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/konocti-harbor-resort-and-spa-to-close-nov-10-1.1435028 .
  10. ^ a b "Lake County fears loss of 700 jobs if Konocti resort closes", Sacramento Bee, September 11, 2009 .
  11. ^ Wilson, Elizabeth (December 17, 2007), "Konocti on the market for third time", Lake County Record-Bee .
  12. ^ Halverson, Nathan (February 8, 2010), "Lake County: A community in crisis", Santa Rosa Press-Democrat, http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20100208/ARTICLES/100209505 .

External links