Grand Geneva: 45 Years of R&R
by Rhonda Mix
For 45 years, people have flocked to Lake Geneva to enjoy a premier hot spot known today as Grand Geneva Resort & Spa. Fans new and old are invited to partake in the former Playboy Club’s nostalgia and spec
ial anniversary events celebrating today’s focus on providing year-round R&R to the whole family.
Originally home to the prestigious Lake Geneva Playboy Club and a state-of-the-art recording studio, Grand Geneva Resort & Spa in Lake Geneva, Wis., remains a popular attraction located just over the Illinois border and McHenry County line.
Housed on 1,300 acres complete with enchanting lakes, trails and ski hills, its charms have continued to draw in people both near and far over the course of nearly a half-century.
Where women once donned bunny ears and cottontails, they now lounge by the resort’s pool or pamper themselves at the WELL Spa + Salon. But the resort isn’t just a place for women to unwind — people of all ages enjoy taking advantage of a variety of Grand Geneva activities such as golfing, fine dining, swimming and skiing.
“We strive to provide people with an escape from the stresses of life,” said Leslie Johnson, director of sales and marketing.
An Evolving Property
The Lake Geneva Playboy Club came into existence in 1968 and was the first Playboy resort built by Hugh Hefner.
After the Playboy Club went bankrupt and closed in 1981, the facility was then converted into the Americana Resort and was later purchased by Marcus Hotels — at a cost of $30 million — in 1993.
Johnson speculated that close to 1 million people visit the resort every year, with a little more than 700 hotel rooms available to accommodate guests.
Ringing in 45 Years
As 2013 marks the 45th anniversary of the resort’s existence, Johnson said a variety of anniversary packages have been offered since the new year.
Specials have included discounted hotel rooms for $45 a night, an extension of the ski season and ski deals, golf days featuring two rounds of golf for $45 and a unique Fourth of July celebration.
Johnson said one of the biggest ways the resort is celebrating its anniversary will be through the publication of an upcoming book, “A Grand Tale,” which will detail both the history of the resort and of Lake Geneva. It will discuss how the facility was first contrived, what made it special, why the Playboy Club ultimately closed, and how the resort has continued to change and flourish over the years.
“[A while back], we sent an outreach into the community to acquire memorabilia,” Johnson said. “A lot of people worked here in those Playboy and Americana days. We have had a great response from the community and from people who want to share artifacts and photos with us.”
A release date is yet to be set, but Johnson hinted that the book could be released as early as September or October through Nei-Turner Media Corp.
“Our goal is to have it by the fall, but [as we keep receiving more content], the book is continually changing,” she said.
A Lake Geneva Landmark
Some people believe Grand Geneva’s history as the Playboy Club helped shape the resort into what it is today.
“When Playboy came to Lake Geneva, it really put Lake Geneva on the map nationally,” said Johnson, noting that Lake Geneva has continued to be a popular national tourist destination in the summer and today is known as “The Hamptons of the Midwest.”
Though fewer than 8,000 residents live in Lake Geneva year-round, thousands of people flock to its beaches and Geneva Lake during the warm summer months.
Many of these visitors also frequent Grand Geneva and enjoy lodging or dining at the prestigious Geneva ChopHouse.
“When the Playboy resort was here, it was very well-known in Chicago,” said Lake Como, Wis., resident LaDonna Palicki, a former resident of the Chicago suburbs, when asked what she thought of the resort and the changes it has gone through over the years. “[Today] the Grand Geneva is beautiful and the grounds are beautiful, especially at Christmas.”
“The corporation is the largest employment company of Walworth County,” added Terry Guthrie, a Lake Como resident and Grand Geneva employee, when asked why she feels Grand Geneva is important to the town.
“The Grand Geneva provides a lot of jobs for people in the community. People will often come back year after year, for weddings and anniversaries and to see how it’s changed and how the atmosphere changes.”
Johnson said Lake Geneva has been named as one of the “Best Small Towns in America” and is noted for famous residents such as Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose, who once owned property on Geneva Lake. It also is rumored that at one time, “Star Wars” creator George Lucas owned property in town.
Celebrate with Grand Geneva
Though the completion of “A Grand Tale” is one of the main goals Johnson said she hopes resort personnel can accomplish by the close of 2013, she also said anniversary celebrations will continue throughout the fall and on until the end of the year.
“We will continue to have themes relating to our 45 years this fall and also will tie in our anniversary specials the first weekend in December,” she said, adding that the Christmas in the Country event will change this year with a goal of making the much-loved community event more child and family friendly.
To keep up to date with upcoming events scheduled as part of the celebration, Johnson said people should continually watch the resort’s Facebook page at facebook.com/grandgeneva.
>> Grand Geneva Resort & Spa is located at 7036 Grand Geneva Way, Lake Geneva, Wis. For more, call 262-248-8811 or 800-558-3417 or visit grandgeneva.com.
