Alyson Oüten/KTVB

The original Shore Lodge sign is again sitting in front of the McCall landmark.

McCALL - An Idaho landmark is going back to its roots.

The Whitetail Club is dropping its name and will again be called Shore Lodge.

The facility perched on Payette Lake in McCall opened in 1948 and welcomed generations of Idaho families in the popular resort town.

The hotel closed in September 1999 for a remodeling project and didn't reopen for nearly two years.  When it did, it had morphed into a private club aiming for high-end clientele and worked to remake itself as a luxury resort.

The lodge from 1948 to now

In August, NewsChannel 7 broke news that owner Doug Manchester decided to sell, transferring ownership to a group led by resort president John Sabala, investor Rich Homaechea and Alscott Real Estate. Alscott is headed by Joe Scott, grandson of the late grocery magnate Joe Albertson.

Room rates will be significantly reduced - with packages starting at $99 per night. When the resort reopened as Whitetail, rates started at $385 per night and higher.

Shore Lodge logo

The new owners said it was their Idaho roots that led them back to the Shore Lodge name. "We intend to once again make Shore Lodge that place we remember," the group said in a prepared statement.

The familiar green and white resort sign - removed during the renovation project - has been restored and put out in front of the hotel again.

Changes will be made to the property, including changes in landscaping, the lobby area and other features. A grand opening party is slated for October 11^th.

The McCall Chamber of Commerce lauded the decision during a Monday morning event. A room full of people gathered and gave a round of applause when the name change was announced.

"The beloved Shore Lodge is back again," Tamara Sandmeyer with the McCall Chamber of Commerce said Monday. "This is an exciting and emotional announcement for the City of McCall."

"This new ownership group has spent many years in McCall and has always had many fond memories of Shore Lodge," Scott said in a prepared statement. "We are truly excited by the opportunity to open Shore Lodge back up to the public. Shore Lodge will once again be the destination for those people who want to enjoy the best of the McCall experience."

Shore Lodge opened in 1948 at a time when McCall was known more for its timber operations than for its recreation opportunities. Today McCall has largely transitioned to a tourist based economy with Payette Lake and Brundage Mountain as the area's two largest draws.

The lengthy remodeling project earlier this decade converted the resort from a 116 room facility to just 77, with larger suites. Shore Lodge features a 45-seat movie theater, swimming pool, beachfront hot tub, lakeside fire pit and more.

A nearby golf course was incorporated to give guests more recreation options. The status of the course hasn't been fully decided, though it will remain private. The resort’s owners haven't decided if it will retain the Whitetail name or take a different moniker.

Since Shore Lodge left the scene as a more value-priced option, McCall has seen a proliferation of lodging options, including a Holiday Inn Express, AmericInn and Super 8 Motel.

Learn more at shorelodgemccall.com

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