Sportsmen's Lodge

Early days

The original Sportsmen's Lodge opened in the 1880s before the movie business existed and before Studio City had its name. A history of Studio City published by the Studio City Sun describes the Lodge as an "enduring symbol of lost rural Valley life."

In the first half of the 20th century, the Sportsmen's Lodge was known for its trout-fishing lake where families came to catch and eat their own dinners, cooked courtesy of the lodge's restaurant. In the 1910s, the Lodge was called "Hollywood Trout Farms" and was described as "a ramshackle collection of huts."

Hollywood hangout

The Sportsmen's Lodge became the place to hang out for cast and crew members working at the nearby Republic Studios.

In 1945, the property was renamed the Sportsmen's Lodge, and a formal restaurant and cocktail lounge were added. When celebrities such as Clark Gable frequented the Lodge, rates were $9 for a single room and $25 for a suite.

A small pier adjacent to the restaurant catered to celebrities who worked in nearby studios. The pier was said to be Clark Gable's favorite fishing spot, and Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall were regulars.

Syndicated entertainment columnist Ron Miller wrote that the "venerable" Sportsmen's Lodge was his favorite Valley hangout. According to Miller, one "well-seasoned" waitress coddled Elam through breakfast and assured him: "That's all right, Darlin'. We'll help you find it after breakfast. Now you'd better eat something, Jack."

As the San Fernando Valley grew in the years after World War II, the urban sprawl sprung up around the Sportsmen's Lodge and its trout fishing lakes. In 1962, the modern Sportsmen's Lodge Hotel was built adjacent to the original lodge. When the hotel was built, the lakes became home to a family of swans and some of the Valley's first fine dining establishments, frequented by legendary Hollywood stars.

According to the Studio City Sun, the Los Angeles Health Department ended the era of fishing at the Lodge when the 1971 San Fernando earthquake diverted the natural spring.

Connections to the entertainment business

The Sportsmen's Lodge had a long history of celebrity guests. In a 2007 article on "Where the A-listers lay low," Newscorp described the Sportsmen's Lodge as "a pleasant and unpretentious establishment." General manager Steve Scheck noted, "There are always some stars who need to stay at the most expensive, fanciest places, but others just want to be comfortable, relaxed and feel at home."

For several years, noted salsa promoter Albert Torres operated a salsa club at the Sportsmen's Lodge that was frequented by celebrities including Vanessa L. Williams and Randa Haines.

Later years and closure

The Sportsmen's Lodge remained a popular location for events, dining and lodging. Motion pictures and TV shows were occasionally shot around the waterfalls, lagoons, lily ponds, swans and gazebos, and recording stars and their entire road crews would regularly stay. One writer noted of the Lodge: "It's unexpected, finding a mountain chalet bar complete with massive stone fireplace, antique wooden snow-skis, log-beamed ceilings, and moose antlers here in the midst of strip malls and suburbia. But this is Hollywood's back yard, why not enjoy a hunting lodge right off Ventura Boulevard?"

According to Los Angeles City Search, the hotel "isn't nearly as fun as it once was, [but] it's still a peaceful place with lots of character." The hotel underwent renovations, a process that one writer said "robbed it of some of its goofy charm."

The Sportsmen's Lodge closed to the public in early 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was used to shelter unhoused residents with the state's Project Roomkey project until July 24, 2020, when it permanently closed.

Efforts to secure historical site designation

In the early 2000s, efforts were taken to secure protected historical status for the Sportsmen's Lodge. In 2002, the Studio City Residents Association, backed by the Los Angeles Conservancy, submitted an application to designate the Lodge's banquet center as a Historic-Cultural Monument. The Conservancy featured the Sportsmen's Lodge as one of just a handful of docent-led stops on its driving tours of the San Fernando Valley—an event that attracted 1,000 tour-goers and won national media attention.

The Cultural Heritage Commission approved the historic designation and sent it on to the Los Angeles City Council. However, the proposal was opposed by City Councilman Jack Weiss, who said that "he does not know anyone who considers Sportsmens Lodge to be significant." The Conservancy responded to Weiss by noting that the Sportsmen's Lodge, "while not an architectural wonder, has long been considered a site that epitomizes the story of the San Fernando Valley itself -- as a site whose evolving uses, from rural to urban, mirrored the Valley's growth; as a roadside attraction to the Valley's vibrant automobile culture; as one of the Valley's earliest and most significant 'fine dining' locations; and as a site that has reflected this community's unique connection to the entertainment industry." Efforts to obtain some protected status for the Lodge are ongoing.

Redevelopment plans

In 2021, Midwood Investment and Development, the owners of Sportsmen's Lodge, announced plans to demolish the hotel and build a 520 unit apartment complex in its place with additional retail to complement the Shops at Sportsmen's Lodge.

Notes

External sources

References

1. Catherine Billey. "More than 100 Years in Studio City: A Brief Look at Our City's Storied Past". Studio City Sun.
2. "Sportsmen's Lodge History". Sportsmen's Lodge.
3. "Silver Spur Awards".
4. Julie Ream. (2007-08-16). "Silver Spur Awards to celebrate 10th anniversary". Valley News.
5. Ron Miller. (2006-08-14). "Five Screen Heavies Who Lightened Up: Born to be booed, yet three earned Oscars". TheColumnists.com.
6. Ron Miller. (14 August 2016). "Jack Elam: Death of A Classic Bad Guy".
7. Jeryl Brunner. (2007-06-15). "Where the A-listers lay low". news.com.au.
8. Dennis McCarthy. (2000-08-17). "Delegates Bridge Divide in Valley". Daily News.
9. "Sportsmen's Lodge Celebrity Guest Book". Sportsmen's Lodge.
10. (17 May 2001). "The Southland's King of Salsa". Los Angeles Times.
11. "Sportsmen's Lodge Hotel". Los Angeles City Search.
12. "Sportsmen's Lodge". LosAngeles.com.
13. (2021-07-19). "Homeless at Studio City Sportsmen's Lodge ask to stay rather than move to congregate shelters".
14. (2024-04-03). "Historic Sportsmen's Lodge hotel may be demolished for 520-unit apartment complex".
15. Peterson, Jenna. (2024-04-03). "Historic Sportsmen's Lodge hotel may be demolished for 520-unit apartment complex". Los Angeles Times.