Hotel college building at UNLV inches forward

By Cy Ryan

Tuesday, April 28, 2015 | 2:20 p.m.

CARSON CITY — A new hotel college building at UNLV, first conceived in 2009, is inching toward approval of a financing proposal in the Nevada Legislature.

Under a plan submitted to a joint budget subcommittee today, the cost of the $49 million structure would be shared equally by the state and private donors in Southern Nevada. In 2013, the financing plan had the state agreeing to pick up 60 percent of the cost.

Luis Valera, vice president of government affairs and diversity initiatives at UNLV, said more than $10 million has been raised from private donors.

Plans for the 93,000-square-foot building call for completion in 2017. An additional $2.8 million would be needed for furniture and equipment.

There is still a difference of opinion whether the state Public Works Board or UNLV should manage construction of the building. That decision will be made next week.

Assemblywoman Heidi Swank, D-Las Vegas, said the Public Works Board has done a good job in managing construction projects.

Staff of the subcommittee was told that any cost overruns of the project would be borne by the private donors. But if the project comes in under cost estimates, the savings would go to the state.