The makeover of SmokeTree Resort in Paradise Valley has finally received a thumbs up from town officials. On January 11, the Paradise Valley Town Council unanimously green-lighted Walton Global Holdings LLC's plan to revamp the boutique hotel after a transaction deal to secure the site for $14 million back in June 2022, as reported by Phoenix Business Journal. The cleared project will transform the currently defunct spot into an 82-room luxury destination featuring amenities like a spa, pool, and underground parking.
The site, straddling the intersection of Scottsdale Road and Lincoln Drive, will bid farewell to its old façade as demolition picks up speed, in hopes of erecting a freshened-up resort, complete with a restaurant, cocktail bar, and café. However, prior plans for a separate speakeasy and standalone eatery were scrapped during revision stages, leaving room for increased parking space. This outcome comes after Paradise Valley Town Council deliberated on a new proposal that shifted gears away from previous concepts, like 'The French Cowboy' restaurant and speakeasy, cited in a report by Arizona Digital Free Press.
Benjamin Tate, a land-use attorney and part of legal firm Withey Morris Baugh PLC which has been steering the project, poetically termed the endeavor as the "living room of Paradise Valley" during the council's meeting. The development aims to serve both community interests and visiting guests while ensuring that concerns like potential noise from rooftop activities are kept in check, as Jason Morris, another attorney with the firm, told Phoenix Business Journal. Tate further stated post-vote that the next steps will be about snatching up the necessary permits to begin construction.
Adapting to feedback from past council and planning commission discussions, the project's modifications include an increase in parking spots to 159 and a reshaped underground garage for better vehicle flow. "The removal of the irregular shape, ‘speakeasy,’ and some back-of-house functions results in this reduction," explained Paul Michaud, the town's senior planner, in a report during an early December work session. He also noted the possibility of expanding the garage if needed, an insight shared with Arizona Digital Free Press.
As anticipation grows for the dual openings of the neighboring Ritz Carlton Paradise Valley and the luxurious Palmeraie retail center — Five Star Development spearheading the luxurious $2 billion project expected to be unveiled in 2024.
