By Sunil Purushe – Published Jul 26, 2025
On the night of July 22, four of five council members at California’s Twentynine Palms City Council formally met to approve the Ofland Resort project (video footage of the meeting). At the edge of Joshua Tree National Park, the eco-style resort project currently features a collection of deluxe cabins spread across 152 acres, offering access to amenities such as an outdoor movie theater, pool, and hot tubs.
Hailed by some as an economic and tourism engine for the area east of Joshua Tree, the Ofland Resort has also faced resistance due to its apparent failure to complete vital environmental impact reports, concerns about water use, and its impact on desert tortoise migration, among other apprehensions. Either way, Ofland now seems here to stay.
A Controversial Resort Project At California’s National Park
Historically, the Indian Cove neighborhood of Twentynine Palms, at the edge of Joshua Tree National Park, has been a residential area. However, thanks to a general plan amendment, the land can now be zoned for commercial and tourist use. In short, this means the Ofland Hospitality can start to execute its development plans for a looping campground-like resort with 100 modern cabins of varying sizes. At its center, a pair of recreation and dining lodges will house a public restaurant, a pool, hot tubs, and more.
Ofland’s first resort, the very successful Ofland Escalante (formerly known as Yonder), is located in Utah, near Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks, and serves as the blueprint for the new project in California. The company has earned praise from The Washington Post, Architectural Digest, and The New York Times, primarily for its stylish appearance and easy access to parkland.
Joshua Tree National Park was designated as an International Dark Sky Park in 2017.
However, opponents to the Twentynine Palms’ project have spent years pushing back on it, arguing that Ofland is non-compliant on pre-requisite norms. Environmentalists have also expressed concerns that the project’s amplified music and large movie screens could detract from the desert’s serenity.
Earlier in the year, conservationists had already been concerned about land acquisition by investors in Joshua Tree National Park, the reasons for which are unknown, and the Ofland Resort project presents another community challenge.
“This property where the hotel is set to be is zoned as residential,” said Indian Cove resident Travis Poston during a June meeting in front of the Twentynine Palms Planning Commission, reported by the Desert Trumpet. “It’s not a mistake that it was zoned as residential. I’d like to know what gives our City the right to change that to a commercially zoned property. I’m not trying to be a jerk. I’m just not sure our City Planner, the Planning Commission, is looking out for the community’s best interest, or at least the neighborhood’s best interest.”
Supporters in favor of Ofland backed the resort’s financial advantages to the City. Liz Meyer, former mayor of Twentynine Palms, cautioned about losing the project over increased environmental review:
“An EIR (Environmental Impact Report) would be required only if the impacts would be significant and unavoidable, after mitigation,” Liz Meyer mentioned. “This is not the case here. Instead, the additional time and expense for the developers to make an EIR would most likely kill this project. Many here are requesting the EIR solely for this purpose. This project promises significant economic benefits, and losing it would be most regrettable.”
In all, nine people submitted comment forms saying they wanted to speak in favor of the resort, three people were registered as being neither for nor against the project, and 28 people were against the project.
Ofland’s Point Of View
To counter some of the arguments against the project, Ofland conducted a mitigated negative declaration study on possible environmental impacts as part of the California Environmental Quality Act, noting that the company would designate 110 acres of the 152-acre property to open space conservation, with at least 500 feet of land serving as a buffer between any adjoining land.
A Southern California real estate broker and part-time resident, Scot Curry, was enthusiastic about the development, “I don’t know of any other development where we could get 100 acres of open space. I think it’s an absolute gorgeous development…”
The growing Twentynine Palms, once primarily known as a military hub, has recently taken control of its visitor center to ensure its continued operation despite nationwide cuts to the National Park System.
The city has also seen an increase in tourist numbers. Luke Searcy, the head of development for Ofland, said at the Tuesday meeting that the property would likely bring in around $800,000 in annual tax revenue as well.
“We are honored and excited to collaborate with Twentynine Palms to bring the vision of Ofland 29Palms to life,” Searcy said in a statement to SFGATE. “Together with our partners, we look forward to continuing to work with the city and its residents to showcase the natural beauty of the area and its unique culture and history.”
At the edge of California’s Joshua Tree National Park, in what has historically been a residential area of Twentynine Palms, the eco-style resort project of Ofland is expected to kick off construction of expansion amid expressions of dissent and disagreement from residents and conservationists.