Levi's and Stetsons are definitely out at the former La Tierra Linda Guest Ranch Resort, a dude ranch where Hollywood's elite vacationed during the 1930s.
Well, the hats are still OK. But the 30-acre resort, renamed as the Mira Vista Resort in its latest incarnation, is definitely catering to a different clientele.
The Mira Vista opens Monday as a clothing-optional resort, where nudists can enjoy lounging by the pool, playing tennis or doing yoga or Pilates.
"It's hard to go back to wearing a bathing suit once you've tried it nude," said Dave Landman, one of six new owners.
Landman and the other owners are targeting an industry worth $400 million a year that's doubled in three years, according to the American Association for Nude Recreation. He said the Southwest is ripe for expansion, and Tucson is a good fit for a resort because its has a large population in their 40s to late 60s, the age of most who like the lifestyle.
The ownership group plans to combine club memberships at Mira Vista with access to other resorts they own near San Diego, Sacramento, Tampa and Atlanta.
"There's a boon with interest in the Southwest. Winter visitors, baby boomers and nude recreation go hand in hand," Landman said.
Nationally, nudism is becoming more mainstream, said Carolyn Hawkins, spokeswoman for the American Association for Nude Recreation based in Kissimmee, Fla.
The association lists four "naturist groups" in Arizona, with the Shangri La Ranch just north of Phoenix as the state's other nudist resort.
Tucson Councilman Jim Blake lives near the Mira Vista and said he doesn't have a problem with it.
"It's not something I would do, but as long as they don't display themselves publicly, I don't think it's going to hurt anyone," he said.
The small resort has just 14 guest rooms, a restaurant, wellness center, pool and spa, tennis courts and the facade of an 1800s Wild West town.
Prior to the Mira Vista, the site was home to the Coyote Moon Resort and Spa for two years. It offered gay and lesbian travelers holistic health education and wellness programs but closed in December.
‘It’s hard to be a jerk when you’re naked’
Resort guests will undergo a background check and must abide by resort rules. A list of problem clients is maintained by the national association.
But there's usually few problems, Landman said.
"It's hard to be a jerk when you're naked. There's nothing to hide behind," he said.
"We're not a wild and crazy group. We are family-oriented," Landman said. "We have strict rules of behavior set up. In general, we tell people not to do anything they wouldn't do in their mother's living room."