Lost Isle on the Delta

Looks like they wont be opening this year.

http://www.lostisle.com/

Yeah this place is a complete dump and they have crappy drinks but you cant beat the people watching there! I always had a good time when I was there...now there is one less place for every one to go to on the delta. Ski beach shoud be entertaining this year....

I agree with everything you said. Except crappy drinks. MMMMM. Me loves a Lost Isle Mai Tai!

From the Delta Scuttlebutt newsletter -

LOST ISLE NEEDS YOUR HELP

The Owners of Lost Isle have elected to not open their resort due to entertainment permit issues with San Joaquin County. Lost Isle is an extremely important business for the California Delta. Lost Isle brings customers to the Delta who also use supporting businesses such as launch ramp facilities, marinas, boat rentals, boat storage facilities, restaurants, fuel docks, camping, RV parks, general stores, bait stores, and many others. The owners of Lost Isle have made many improvements and have invested a large amount of money to make Lost Isle a Delta destination. They are also ready to invest more to improve the docks, and surrounding areas.

To lose this important Delta business would be a serious blow to the Delta region and would hurt the Delta economy. Please show your support for Lost Isle by sending your feedback to them via their website: www.lostisle.com

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ALSO .... PLEASE ATTEND THE SJC PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING AND SUPPORT LOST ISLE! We need you there!!

Lost Isle is scheduled to review their Entertainment Permit with the San Joaquin County Planning Commission on June 4th, 6:30 pm, in the Public Health/Planning Auditorium, 1601 East Hazelton Avenue, Stockton.

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Open letter to the Delta Community from the Owners of Lost Isle:

To Lost Isle Customers:

As the owners of Lost Isle we have elected to not open Lost Isle this year. Our decision was not made lightly and is based on several factors. The primary driver of our decision process is the lack of an acceptable Entertainment Permit through San Joaquin County. The county requires that in order for Lost Isle to allow dancing and provide music through a DJ or band, we must have a valid entertainment permit. This is a new ordinance approved by the Board of Supervisors in May of 2008. Prior to this change we were required to apply for an annual cabaret permit in order to offer the aforementioned activities. Another important factor is the recession. We believe that with the current economy, coupled with no dancing and music would substantially dampen our sales. Without dancing and music, we cannot keep our customer visits for more than a very short duration, and therefore we cannot turn a profit. Operationally the island has not turned a profit in 10 years, believe it or not.

Here is a little background in layman’s terms: For the last five years Lost Isle has been unsuccessful at obtaining a cabaret permit from the county. The county would not issue the cabaret permit for two reasons: 1) We did not comply with all of the county building codes, and 2) We did not have a dock exclusively available for use by the sheriff. Both issues have been resolved.

Regarding obtaining the Entertainment Permit, Sheriff Moore has substantially changed his demands over the last several months. In June 2008 we applied for the entertainment permit and were in the process of working through the conditions and requirements with County Planning. Then in August 2008 there was a gang related homicide on the island. Obviously, this was a very unfortunate event. It was the first time in the history of Lost Isle that any such act of violence was committed on or near the island. After the incident the sheriff immediately rescinded his prior recommendations and changed his demand conditions for the entertainment permit.

The week before Labor Day of last year, the sheriff and county counsel demanded we comply with these new conditions immediately. If we did not, we could not open for Labor Day weekend. The one significant demand was the requirement to hire 7 sheriff deputies to work at Lost Isle all three days of the holiday weekend. However, the cost of such a requirement was roughly equivalent to half of our anticipated sales. We decided to withdraw our application for the entertainment permit at that time. We opened for Labor Day weekend last year but did not allow dancing or provide any music, which was the only way we could open for business. As a result our business was off by more than 50% for this very big holiday.

So that our customers can better understand our dilemma, let me provide you with some economic and operational history for Lost Isle. Lost Isle opens and closes with a full crew each year dependent on weather. We are open Saturdays all year, but we have very little business November through February. In a normal year we open in March and shut down at the end of October. From a practical business stand point we really only operate 30 days per year. We have weekend crowds from May through September, with 3 day holidays being our big sales drivers. Since we have operated the island, our peak sales were in 1998 and we have had sales declines of 50% since that year. We made some mistakes during that period and paid our penance, but we have never been able to obtain the Sheriff’s Department cooperation since. We were banned from participation in Boardstock, and now have a Sheriff’s water patrol boat stationed in front of Lost Isle almost every day we have any kind of crowd.

We need help from our customers. How can you HELP? You can help by attending and showing your support at the upcoming planning commission meeting, set for June 4th. We are appealing the Sheriffs demands to our entertainment permit application. Details of the permit and response are posted on the website. A strong attendance by patrons and boaters will help our cause. You can also help our cause by completing an Experience Form on our website (www.lostisle.com). We have spoken to several public officials concerning the operations of Lost Isle. They do not have informed data points in which to judge our situation. They need help to understand the predicament we find ourselves in. Please see this website for information on the Experience Form . Lastly, please send an email to info@lostisle.com expressing your support for Lost Isle and our entertainment permit modification. We are assembling a package of information for the local political leaders.

We have additional county planning issues as well, namely our sewer system. The leech field was determined by the State of California Water Quality Resource Board to be illegal around the year 2000. We spent several years trying to determine what needed to be done to solve this problem. We looked into a package sewer plant but the operating cost exceeded 25% of our annual sales. After spending a considerable sum (one year of sales revenue) with consultants we determined in early 2008 a go-forward strategy that the county approved. We now have the permits to build a sewer system, but have elected to postpone it at this time, pending a decision on an acceptable Entertainment Permit.

We deeply regret the disappointment we have caused you, our loyal customers, by being unable to open Lost Isle for business this year. Again, please help us by attending the planning commission meeting on June 4th, and by voicing your concerns via our website. We look forward to resolving our issues with the county as soon as possible.

Most sincerely,

David Wheeler
General Partner of Lost Isle

Kind of a bummer but not really. It wont have any effect on us going to the Delta this year and I really wouldnt miss the place if it never opened again.

No, but these things can snowball into a different set of problems...practical and economic. I won't miss the place either, but as a guy with a boat slipped nearby, I'm not sure that I'm happy to see it go.

Lost Isle is a busy place, and anyone who spend a lot of time in that part of the Delta knows what kind of traffic it generates. The Delta Scuttlebutt has it right when it says this can effect the economy of the Delta as a whole. The marinas and services in the area (King, Paradise, Village West, etc) all benefit from the business generated by Lost Isle. There are tons of people who come to the area and launch, buy fuel, and eat at these establishments all on their way to Lost Isle.

On the practical side of things, a large portion of those who would otherwise go to Lost Isle are going to find new places to create madness. It's certainly nice knowing that the majority of the party crowd in our corner of the Delta is concentrated in one place.

So...maybe things will go the other way and it will mean a boom for places like Garlic Brothers, Windmill, and Tower Park. In the end, as long as I can get a burger at Bob's in less than 45 minutes and ride butter from there to King I'll be happy.

Now the ghettoness will have to find a new place to stab people. Ski beach is probably choice #2

Unfortunately Lost Isle has changed a lot in the last 13 years. I remember when there were no fences. You didn't need an ID to get in. And at 14-15 years old I could go watch a bikini/strip contest.
It's sorta sad that a long time delta place like that has to close. It will drive a lot more people to the other places such as Union Point, Both Ski Beaches, as well as the places you like to hang out.
The dumb drunk people that did spend time there aren't gonna go away. They're probably going to be driving around and possibly tearing your favorite spot up.
Although the only time I ever saw Lost Isle completely packed was during holiday weekends. otherwise it was usually fairly tame. I think I only went twice last year but it will be missed.

Nate you are right on the economics part of it, but that place is a dump. I did like the wet t-shirt contests they use to have all the time. But over the years it seems to have gotten pretty lame. I guess it could be I am getting older. Maybe it will be less drunks off the water. Those Mia Tiahs are good.

Like David said though, the drunks will still be out on the water driving around rather than being drunk on the island. Me and by friends don't even go to ski beach or Lost Isle anymore because of all the crap that goes down now. As long as the wallys don't mess up our butter they can do as they please.

yo J. if you could just get a weekday off and come ride with me you would have nothing to worry about brotha. not much goes down on tuesday at 10 am, just the regulars you know.

nate what up pimp, when you me and vin gonna get some ride time in hommie?

it just sucks to see such a legendary place go away.

Heck talk about how much its changed? My family owned Lost Isle when I was a kid and we'd hang out the as kids even on big weekends. Back then it was a respectable business. My grandparents still had the banana boat and would pick people up on the levy to come over for lunch/drinks and even had a little camp ground behind were the souvenir shack is now so you could stay the weekend there. It was ALLOT differant and the locals actually hang out there regularly back then.

Bryan - We ride out of Stockton where I slip my boat so it's a bit of a haul for you but if you can wanna hook up that would be great. I also don't know how well our schedules synch up either since it sounds like you ride mornings and we ride evenings. Anyway, starting now we try to hit 2 or 3 evenings a week and we burn most weekends out there too.

Shooting for tomorrow and Thursday this week. Me, Vin, and Mario.

I totally think it sucks that it's closing! A trashy and dirty place indeed, but always a great time and the people watching was fun! I'll miss those mai tais.

We would like to offer support. We have a boardshop and a wakeboardcamp. What can we do to help you? Start a petition? Nate is right, this can snowball.