Ritz-Carlton Reopens for Business in Rancho Mirage

The renovated Ritz-Carlton luxury resort, closed since 2006 -- reopened in Rancho Mirage Thursday.

The 244-room resort sits on a 650-foot bluff and includes a spa, restaurant, 16 suites, about two dozen fire pits, three swimming pools and more than 30,000 square feet of event space. A lounge and steakhouse will open in fall.

The resort closed in 2006 for a year of remodeling, and work was almost finished when Lehman Brothers, the property's main financial backer, went bankrupt in 2008. Four years later, the resort's original developer sold a majority stake to another developer with the means to obtain a construction loan to finish the project, according to The Desert Sun.

Delays in getting the loan and fixing problems that came up after work resumed pushed back the reopening. The project cost around $60 million, the newspaper reported.

The Ritz-Carlton has about 300 employees and is designed "to complement its desert mountain location by featuring natural elements of stone, wood and fire -- which reflect the local landscape, hues and regional surroundings," according to the resort's website.

Other amenities include a pool bar that serves sushi, access to hiking, golf and tennis and a children's facility with its own movie theater.

On Friday, United Way of the Desert will hold its annual fundraising gala at the resort, the property's first major event.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company operates 85 hotels in 30 countries. There are six other Ritz-Carltons in California.

For reservations and information at the Rancho Mirage resort, call (760) 321-8282 or go to www.ritzcarlton.com.

— City News Service.