THE TALE END
Lexi Dempsey
Supervisor of Fun
JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa
74855 Country Club Drive, Palm Desert
marriott.com
As the JW Marriott Desert Springs’ new supervisor of fun — yep, that’s her real title — Lexi Dempsey is downright serious about cultivating good times for resort guests.
The gig entails arranging activities for kids and adults, from poolside beer-pong tournaments and margarita mini golf to nature walks on the nearby Desert Willow trail and dock-and-dine tours on the resort’s 18-acre manmade lake. “That’s one of my favorite things to do on the property,” she says. “We’ve got a team of drivers that take the electric Duffy boats around, and it’s a lot of fun.”
Most weekdays are filled with planning and prepping, while weekends bring the festivity. Holidays are the most happening, she notes. “Right now, we’re working on lots of various fall events for guests, but the next huge event will be Christmas.”
As the property undergoes a makeover, Dempsey will also create spectacles to draw the eye away from construction. “This year’s gingerbread house,” she hints, referencing an annual wintertime feat produced by the hotel culinary team, “is going to be the biggest and best it’s ever been.”
A third-generation Palm Springs native, Dempsey studied at the University of Tennessee and, after six years away, says she was surprised to see how much the desert has grown.
“It’s funny to see my hometown as a hot destination spot,” she says. “I love the new downtown and the opportunity for young people in the desert now.” She’s also pretty jazzed to be a part of that.
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This fall she looks forward to Thursday-night street fairs in Palm Springs and road trips to Joshua Tree. “I’m excited to explore and rediscover my roots,” she says. “Moving away really made me realize how beautiful it is here. Seeing palm trees and the mountains seemed like nothing special when I was growing up. But coming back has made me appreciate how lucky we are to live here.”