Public Record, The: New owners have grand plans for Two Bunch Palms

Two Bunch Palms - a Desert Hot Springs resort with historical ties to Al Capone and the Roaring '20s - has new owners. The tucked-away, 80-year-old getaway/hideaway recently was purchased under undisclosed terms by King Ventures, a boutique hotel operation headquartered in San Luis Obispo.

"The top priority will be getting the resort back to five-star status," said Jill Maya, director of sales and marketing and a 10-year employee of the 56-acre resort on Two Bunch Palms Trail. I can't talk about a lot of specifics, but they are going to be doing some amazing things here. But the natural hot springs and ambiance that our guests love will remain the same."

Maya suggested King Ventures will be taking a renovative approach with a facility that currently has 45 lodging units ranging from villas and suites to guest rooms. Such features as a hot-spring grot to, walking trails, a swimming pool nestled into the landscape and a spa offering facials, mud baths, body wraps, massage and other treatments will remain.

King Ventures purchased Two Bunch Palms from Sinclair Resorts & Hotels Management, a Texas-based operation that owned for nine years. King Ventures Chief Executive Officer John King said the company's newest acquisition will be part of a health and wellness division of an overall roster of 14 resort, hotel and spa properties, all in California.

"The objective," said King, "is to establish California's natural hot springs as credible and respected properties that can serve growing worldwide interest in the health potential of natural mineral springs." Maya said a new general manager will be named soon.

In recent years, Two Bunch Palms' history has served as an unofficial marketing tool. Maya said the resort has been booked heavily since word got out about new ownership. The Capone link, it seems, is as strong as ever, fueled by both legend and fact. Maya said the stone cottage where the notorious gangster once cavorted with Hollywood types and cronies, and conducted West Coast operations, seldom is vacant.

Now split into two units, the cottage still has a fortress feel with thick exterior walls, narrow hallways, a lookout tower and a tunnel leading to an area that in the '20s had a gambling hall and brothel.

Capone, whose main crime syndicate operations were in Chicago, eventually went to prison for income-tax evasion. The man who once said, "You can get a lot further in life with a kind word and a gun, than you can with just a kind word," has been dead since 1947.

Maya said interest in Two Bunch Palms' rich and sordid history seems to be picking up, too. She's received a number of requests for media interviews recently and The Travel Channel filmed a segment earlier this year that will be aired in September. "The pace is hectic fight now," she said. "But that's a good sign."

HOME BUILT IN 50 HOURS AS FUNDRAISER

A fundraiser organized last month by a Coachella Valley home builder has resulted in substantial donations to two local nonprofit organizations - the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center and the Family YMCA of the Desert.

The project involved construction of a four-bedroom home in an Indio development called Shadow Ranch. Coordinated by Shadow Ranch developer Family Development Homes, the home was completed in 50 hours with virtually all the labor and most of the materials donated, according to Rudy Herrera of Family Development Homes. Herrera said the home will be sold by auction sometime this summer. The two nonprofits each will receive $ 100,000 from the proceeds.

"It's a way for us to give something back to the community," said Vincent Barbato, another partner in the company. "We thought by donating the proceeds, we would affect thousands instead of just one family."

Herrera said about 500 workers and more than 70 companies were involved in a construction that normally takes at least three months.

"A high level of cooperation and coordination was the key," said Herrera. "This was a new home completely finished off in less than three days."