Developer explores idea of Cave Creek resort

MARC BUCKHOUT ~ MANAGING EDITOR ~ 6/15/2011

It’s still early in the planning stages, but if a North Scottsdale developer has its way Cave Creek could be home to a resort on 220 acres of land at 72nd St. and Continental Mountain Drive.
Representatives of the would-be developer have begun efforts to garner input from area residents to find out what they like and dislike about the potential project.
The project, a Eco Resort, would include a combination of a 130 room resort and spa and 57 casistas, which are free standing rooms off the main resort. Additionally the developer would build 44 homes that would be put up for sale, a mixture of both one and two acre plots of land.
The developers have designed projects such as Canyon Ridge in Cave Creek, Los Cedros Equestrian Ranch in Scottsdale, Bison Ranch, Overgaard, The Boulders (re-plan) in Scottsdale, Estancia, Scottsdale, Seven Canyons Resort in Sedona.
Before approaching the Cave Creek Town Council for a general plan amendment on the land, which is south of Continental Mountain, Wendy Riddell, the developer’s representative, said there will be an extensive back and forth with area resident that could result in revisions to the plan.
According to Ridell, one of the developers’ priorities would be to maintain as much of the desert terrain as possible. She adds the casitas would only be accessed on golf carts along sidewalks and that there would not be roads off the resort’s main parking lot.
Equestrian paths and hiking trails would be a part of the plan, giving the resort an equestrian component, as Ridell said the group is cognizant of Cave Creek’s rural character, citing that more than 50 percent of the site would be maintained as natural desert.
Ridell said all the plans are preliminary and she wouldn’t give a timetable as to when the group might go to the town council with any requests for a general plan amendment and rezoning on the land. She indicated that in all likelihood the economy will play a contributing factor as to how quickly development of the resort would get under way.
For information on the plan contact Wendy Riddell at 602-616-8771 or Steven Voss at
480-994-0994.