The Rancho Mirage City Council has approved a large-scale expansion of the Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage, entitling the development of new resort residences, major event facilities, and a mountaintop recreation area on more than 35 acres along Frank Sinatra Drive.
City officials said the project modernizes long-approved but never-built entitlements, transforming dormant land into a high-end resort residential destination with long-term economic benefits for the city.
“This site has been entitled for development for many years,” Planning Manager Ben Torres told the council during the public hearing on December 18. “What’s before you tonight is a reduced residential unit count, but a much more comprehensive and thoughtfully designed project that better reflects current standards and community expectations.”
A Large Project With Fewer Units and More Amenities
The approved plan allows for 106 condo-hotel residences, down from 111 units approved in 2006. While the residential count is lower, staff emphasized that the overall scope of development is significantly larger due to expanded amenities and infrastructure. 
“This modification adds nearly 24,000 square feet of event space, a 381-space subterranean parking structure, and new recreational and dining facilities,” Torres said during the presentation. “Those elements substantially increase the resort’s capacity and functionality without increasing density.”
The development includes multiple low-rise residential buildings, updated architecture compatible with the existing resort, and extensive landscaping intended to screen structures from neighboring homes.
Sky Mesa Designed to Preserve Open Space
A key component of the approval is the Sky Mesa recreational area, located on 3.88 acres of privately owned hillside land previously designated as Mountain Reserve.
City staff stressed that development in this area will be minimal.
“Buildings in the Sky Mesa area account for less than four percent of the site,” Torres said. “Ninety-six percent will remain open space and recreational use, with the restaurant built directly into the mountain to minimize visual impacts.”
The Sky Mesa restaurant and lawn areas are intended to serve resort guests while preserving scenic views and maintaining compatibility with surrounding open space.
Development Agreement Locks in Public Benefits
The City Council also approved a 10th Amendment to the Development Agreement, establishing updated rules for how the residences operate and how the city benefits financially.
City Manager Isaiah Hagerman said the agreement provides long-term certainty while ensuring continued revenue for Rancho Mirage.
“This amendment ensures these units operate as true condo-hotel units,” Hagerman said. “It protects the city’s transient occupancy tax base and provides ongoing economic benefits through tourism, jobs, and visitor spending.”
Under the agreement, owner occupancy is limited to six months per year, and all units remain subject to the city’s condo-hotel regulations and tax requirements.
Addressing Neighborhood Concerns
During the hearing, councilmembers and staff addressed concerns raised by nearby residents related to construction hours, traffic, noise, and pedestrian safety.
“To be responsive to the neighborhood, we’re limiting construction hours beyond what our code typically allows,” Hagerman said. “We believe the 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. window is a reasonable accommodation for a project of this scale located near residential uses.”
The council also approved a condition requiring the developer to reimburse the city for up to 50 percent of the cost of a buffered shared-use bicycle/walking path along Frank Sinatra Drive.
“This is not just about this project,” Hagerman said. “It’s an improvement that benefits the broader community by making this corridor safer for pedestrians and cyclists.”
Moving Forward After Years of Inactivity
Rancho Mirage councilmember Ted Weill.
Councilmembers noted that the land has remained partially graded and undeveloped for nearly two decades, despite multiple prior approvals.
“Being the longest serving member of this council, I can reflect back to the time that this project was closed,” said councilmember Ted Weill. “It was a dead horse. Mr. Lamb (project/land owner) referenced appearing before the council several years ago, presenting on improving this closed project and turning it into a first-class operation. There was some skepticism, given that the project had already failed. Would he be capable of delivering what he was representing? I can tell you that I’ve known both Mr. Lamb and his family since they took ownership, and they have fulfilled all their obligations entirely. I feel confident that the addition to the existing project will enhance what is already a successful operation. Not only a condo hotel, but also an additional kitchen, banquet facilities, and it will attract what is one of the most profitable parts of any hotel operation, whether at Rancho Mirage or somewhere else, and that’s convention business. And that’s what this addition will do. From my standpoint, I think it’s an outstanding addition.”
With all major entitlements now approved, the project may proceed to final permitting and construction, marking one of the most significant resort expansions approved in Rancho Mirage in recent years.
