Vintage Postcard – Del Webb’s Mountain Shadows Hotel

Del Webb’s Mountain Shadows Hotel
Scottsdale, Arizona
In the shadow of famous Camelback Mountain
Featuring 2 swimming pools – one twice Olympic size, 18-hole 3 par – 4 par golf course, tennis courts, extensive banquet and meeting facilities, 250 luxury accommodations. Open Year ‘Round.
This lovely vintage postcard was postmarked (Give to the March of Dimes), Phoenix, Arizona and mailed on January 15 1965 using a grey 5 cent Washington stamp. It was mailed to Mr. Malcolm Carr, International House, 1414 East 59th Street, Chicago 37, Illinois.
Pub. by Petley Studios, 4051 E Van Buren, Phoenix, Arizona
68214
Dearest Malc, –
Spent the day here and meant to mail this from Scottsdale, but didn’t have your address.
This is a lovely place, would like to take you and Margaret over some day when you are here.
It’s now time for you to write.
Love, Mom [?]
In 2004, the Mountain Shadows Hotel (then owned by Marriott) shut down. Hotel Online (News for the Hospitality Executive) reported of its last days. The old resort was located at 56th Street and Lincoln Drive, the resort opened in January of 1959 (it was sold to the Del Webb Company in 1964). Marriott purchased it in 1981. The area around the resort, Paradise Valley, has an interesting history.
In 2009, the Phoenix Business Journal reported that a new owner was taking control of the Mountain Shadows Hotel – KEPT Holdings LLC. However, in May of 2012, the Phoenix Business Journal then reported that the entire resort, including the golf course, would be sold at a foreclosure sale in July. They noted “The 68-acre property is on the south side of Lincoln Drive and both sides of 56th Street. The 337-room hotel has been closed since September 2004. The executive golf course on the property is still open.” At the end of May 2012, Arizona Builder’s Exchange reported that “Solage Hotels and Resorts is planning to invest a “substantial amount” of money in Mountain Shadows resort to forestall foreclosure.” Further talks held over the summer of 2012 involved residents and the city commission. In August 2012, it was announced that “redevelopment plans for the shuttered Mountain Shadows resort in Paradise Valley have been revised in hopes of accommodating residents and town officials. But not everybody is pleased with it, including an ally of financially troubled resort.” Early this year, it seemed that Solage has walked away from the deal, but Crown Realty is still trying to work through the process.
Finally, on April 18, 2013, the deal finally came together. You can read the details here. I am guessing that perhaps they are going to tear all this down? But google maps shows the details of the pool in the postcard above now:

That’s a heck of a long story to tell you what’s been happening to the old place in recent years. Anyhow, the card was sent to Malcom Carr, at International House in Chicago. I.H. is a residence hall for the University of Chicago; it specifically allows students from all over the world to live together.