Court documents place Lutsen Lodge owner Bryce Campbell on scene shortly before lodge fire, reveal financial troubles

LUTSEN, Minn. (Northern News Now) - Nearly two years after the historic Lutsen Lodge burned to the ground, owner Bryce Campbell has been federally charged with arson and insurance fraud.

Court documents allege Campbell, facing financial struggles, set his own lodge on fire as part of an insurance fraud scheme.

Video and interviews conducted by authorities place Campbell at the lodge shortly before the fire began.

An overnight employee was the only person in the building at the time of the fire. The employee called 911 at around 12:30 a.m. on Feb. 6. after seeing smoke coming from outlets in the lobby.

Campbell later said he had stopped by the lodge at about 11:45 p.m. on Feb. 5 to grab something from his office.

RELATED: Lutsen Lodge total loss after early morning fire

Law enforcement and prosecutors held a press conference Thursday afternoon in St. Paul, Minn. highlighting their efforts over the past 22 months of investigation.

“This was a methodical investigation. With any arson investigation and insurance fraud type scheme, individuals will take steps to cover up what they are doing in that process,” said BCA Superintendent Drew Evans.

In February 2024, Minnesota State Fire Marshal Dan Krier announced the Lodge had several unresolved violations before the fire.

At Thursday’s press conference, Krier said they still don’t know exactly how the fire started, but examiners are investigating potential signs of accelerants on scene.

Records from Campbell’s phone show he made multiple searches about flammable accelerants in the weeks leading up to the fire.

In January, the lodge general manager texted Campbell saying, “The new Swissmar gel bottles came in.”

Swissmar Fire Gel is often used to in fondue fuel burners and for lighting fires and grills.

Campbell replied saying, “Good!! Glad they came in after the insurance inspection lol.”

Court documents show Campbell was more than $14 million in debt at the time of the fire, including close to $13 million in payments toward purchasing Superior Shores Resort near Two Harbors, Minn.

On Feb. 6, Campbell submitted an insurance claim totaling more than $16.5 million dollars. He attributed the loss to “a fire of unknown origin.”

“This was a crime of selfishness. 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 the Minnesotans that loved Lutsen Lodge for generations across our state,” said Evans.

Campbell is in custody in Michigan and will be extradited to Minnesota.

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