Val Hardcastle

"There are things for them to do here that they can't do anywhere else," said Val Hardcastle, Pali's general manager."Here, it's all about them."

All this may make you wonder: Whatever happened to songs by the fire and cross-camp color wars?Those traditional pastimes are still there, Hardcastle said, but to keep a kid's attention these days, camp needs to go above and beyond.

"There are so many wow factors in life now, summer camp has to have a certain amount of that 'wow,' " he said.
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"It's very empowering for them to do something they've never done before," Hardcastle said.
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But while the kids may be falling from buildings (performing stunts), shooting each other with hard paint pellets and riding motorcycles on dirt trails, Hardcastle said there have never been any serious injuries at the camp.

"When you're dealing with the safety of kids, you take all the precautions," he said.

Val Hardcastle
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VAL HARDCASTLE General Manager

As the General Manager of the Hospitality Sector of Pali Entertainment, Val Hardcastle oversees Pali Adventures, Pali Institute and the Pali Conference Center.
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Prior to coming to Pali, Val worked in the hotel and hospitality industry for twenty years.
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An outdoors type of guy, Val had a stint as a Park Ranger for the State Parks and Recreation Department in Utah. The rugged outdoorsman was also a Timber Cruiser/Fire Fighter for the Caribou National Forest in Idaho. Val holds a Bachelors Degree in Forestry and an MBA in Business Administration from Utah State University. He is married with four children, two boys and two girls (ages 19, 15, 12, 9). Val and his wife have been married nearly 25 years.

Val has spent a great deal of his life volunteering for the Boy Scouts and working at summer camps. Of his work at Pali, Val says, "Their level of confidence can change so quickly.

When asked the reason for Tenaya's consistent quality, general manager Val Hardcastle did not hesitate."We have quality people from the local area who work here," he said.Joe St. Laurent, rooms division manager, echoed Hardcastle's sentiments.

Thomas Conrad of the California State Automobile Association (left) presents an award to Val Hardcastle, general manager, in December 2003.
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When asked the reason for Tenaya's consistent quality, general manager Val Hardcastle did not hesitate."We have quality people from the local area who work here," he said.Joe St. Laurent, rooms division manager, echoed Hardcastle's sentiments.
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Hardcastle said that the Tenaya Lodge has many repeat customers and one of the Lodge's goals is to create "new experiences" for returning guests.In the summer, the hotel offers an outdoor dinner program where kids can try their hand at cooking.On the 35-acre grounds, there is also a replica mining camp and outdoor stage for entertainment during warm weather. Future plans for the Lodge, according to St. Laurent, include enhancing the spa services to create a spa/retreat environment. The Lodge's continued commitment to excellence is obvious from the number of times it has received AAA recognition.From the swimming pool to the winter horse-drawn sleigh rides to the employees themselves, it is evident that the Tenaya Lodge has "something for everyone" year-round.Or, as Hardcastle said, "We create magic so people have happy memories."

General Manager: Val Hardcastle

At Tenaya, general manager Val Hardcastle said there were some 50 walk-in guests last week.He acknowledged the narrow window for registration has caused some anxiety among hotel operators.