Lutsen Lodge Owner Accused of Starting Fire That Destroyed Resort

The owner of the Lutsen Resort Lodge is facing charges in connection with the fire that destroyed the lodge in February 2024.

41-year-old Bryce James Campbell is accused of starting the fire at the North Shore resort and is charged with three felony counts of arson and one felony count of insurance fraud.

According to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, financial crimes and fraud agents determined through their investigation that Campbell knowingly caused the fire to fraudulently collect an insurance payout. He was taken into custody on Dec. 3 in Southfield, Michigan and remains in jail pending extradition to Minnesota.

“This was a crime of selfishness,” stated BCA Superintendent Drew Evans at a press conference held Wednesday. “Bryce Campbell put his interests above the livelihood of his employees, the safety of the people that were in the building at the time, and the community that were there and all of the Minnesotans that loved Lutsen Lodge for generations across our state. He did that, setting this fire for his own selfish needs in an insurance fraud scheme to gather money in this process, defrauding the insurance company and setting ablaze to this historic lodge.”

“The nearly 140-year-old Lundy Building was an iconic site, where many couples got married and many families returned year after year,” added Cook County Attorney Jeanne Peterson. “The loss of the resort is deeply felt by many.”

According to the criminal complaint in the case, CAmpbell increased the insurance policy for Lutsen by $2.5 million in 2022 and by another $2 million in 2023.