Original Lake Las Vegas developer Ronald Boeddeker dies at 71

By Amanda Finnegan

Monday, June 21, 2010 | 12:45 p.m.

Ronald Boeddeker, one of Lake Las Vegas’ original developers, died Saturday after succumbing to his battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 71.

Boeddeker was the founder of Santa Barbara-based Transcontinental Corporation. The corporation conducts most of its business in partnership with the Bass family in Fort Worth, Texas.

Transcontinental Corp. acquired the land that would become Lake Las Vegas from the Pacific Malibu Development Corporation in 1990. Boeddeker envisioned recreating Italy’s Lake Como in the sewage-filled Henderson swamp. A 320-acre lake would serve as the centerpiece for Boeddeker’s resort community of luxury hotels, golf courses, shops, restaurants and thousands of custom homes.

The property went into foreclosure after Transcontinental defaulted on $540 million in loans in fall 2007. The development was acquired by the Atalon Group in January 2008, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection six months later.

Aside from Lake Las Vegas, Boeddeker’s company developed several other resorts, including Waikoloa Beach Resort in Hawaii and Las Campanas in Santa Fe, N.M.

Boeddeker is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Kitty Boedekker, his four children and six siblings.