Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa has sold its high-profile Murrieta Hot Springs Christian Conference Center and Bible College Campus for $50 million to a Colorado firm that plans to renovate the facility and run it as a wellness resort.
The choice of Olympus Real Estate Group, an experienced resort operator, is a plus for southwestern Riverside County’s tourism trade. Olympus already runs the Springs Resort and Spa in Pagosa Springs, Colo., a destination that’s made a few “best wellness center” lists.
The buyer is getting the 46-acre property at 39401 Murrieta Hot Springs Road that’s ready for the hospitality business. It includes hot springs, guest lodges with more than 200 rooms, two auditoriums, commercial kitchens and restaurant facilities.
“Murrieta Hot Springs is an irreplaceable property with tremendous history,” says Olympus founder David Dronet. “Years ago the Murrieta Hot Springs Resort was one of the preeminent health resorts in the country. We’re honored to work with the Murrieta community and our amazing health and wellness team to make the Murrieta Hot Springs Resort a world-class wellness destination once again.”
The Murietta land was first developed in 1902 as a luxury health retreat, but by the 1980s it badly needed a do-over.
Calvary Chapel acquired the property in 1995 and invested $38 million over the years in what’s become a hub for worship, meetings and Bible study. The Murietta facilities today no longer meet Calvary’s needs — especially as the pandemic changed business for many religious groups.
The springs at Murrieta Hot Springs Christian Retreat Center and Bible College Campus was sold by Calvary Chapel for $50 million. (Courtesy of Hoffman Co.)
The sale is by no means a rarity for local churches in recent years.
Saddleback Church sold land next to a Mission Viejo office building it owns for new homes. The city of Thousand Oaks purchased a former Christian school site for affordable housing.
St. Michael’s Abbey sold its monastery property in Silverado to the Orange County Rescue Mission, which will use it for a new facility. And the former Echo Park headquarters for Foursquare Church was sold to Texas investors.
Calvary senior pastor Brian Brodersen said his church’s sale “represents really good news as for months we’ve been sensing the Lord redirecting this organization away from our heavy emphasis on operating and maintaining conference centers.”
Prospective buyers for the Murietta property included mega-churches, medical centers and educational institutions, said Justin Esayian of The Hoffman Co. who brokered the deal.
“To see it going back to its origins as a major destination for wellness and rejuvenation is a boon for the entire Temecula Valley,” he said. “It has the potential to transform the wine region’s tourism market and generate significant tax revenue for the city.”
Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at [email protected]