Palm Springs Spa and Hotel

Update

Despite the March 28, 2010 assertion in the Desert Sun newspaper that the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians "plans to eventually demolish" the William Cody-designed Spa Hotel, on March 30th the tribe's Chief Planning and Development Officer, Mr. Tom Davis, assured PSPF President Ron Marshall that pending the completion of a formal environmental review no decision on the future of the Spa Hotel has been made.  Further, with regard to the specific issue of demolition, Mr. Davis reasserted that the "Tribal Council does not hold that position or any other" at this time.

On January 5, 2008, PSPF President William Kopelk and the heads of other local preservation organizations, expressed their concerns about an architectural rendering that appeared in the October 2007 issue of Palm Springs Life magazine. The rendering showed a proposed building in place of the Spa Bath House colonnade designed by architect William Cody and the firm of Wexler & Harrison. The letter also requested a meeting with representatives of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians (ACBCI).

Subsequently, ACBCI representatives met with PSPF President William Kopelk and PSPF board members Doug Hudson and Ron Marshall to discuss the tribe’s plans for the colonnade. At the meeting, which was cordial and collegial, the coalition of preservation organizations offered to send the tribe a letter outlining the historic and cultural importance of the entire Spa Hotel complex to include recommendations regarding the hotel’s restoration. While the tribe considers our and other external recommendations we have been asked not to make our detailed recommendations publicly available.
To read the document’s cover letter click here.