Construction begins on northwest sports park

Construction began early today on the $5.5 million Las Vegas Sportspark project, which will include the first softball fields built on the western end of town in more than a dozen years.

Former Clark County Commissioner Don Schlesinger, co-developer of the facility in Bruce Trent Park at Rampart Boulevard and Vegas Drive, pulled the Clark County Health District dust control permit Wednesday, enabling the graders to begin work clearing the 18-acre site.

"I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel," said Schlesinger who, with partner Linda Fernandez, has worked since March 1995 to bring the project to fruition.

"We hope this park will be a model for many more to follow. There are so many groups that really need this facility."

The complex, which includes three softball fields, roller and ice hockey rinks, an arcade and a snack bar, is scheduled to open Dec. 17. However, it faces one hurdle -- the review of the final design plan by the city of Las Vegas Planning Commission on Thursday. (july 23)

The project has overcome several obstacles, including competing business operators complaining that Schlesinger was getting an unfair advantage because he was obtaining use of city-owned land that had been acquired from the Bureau of Land Management in May 1996.

However, after much debate through 1996 and '97, Schlesinger convinced the Las Vegas City Council that his project was the best use for the land, which the city, in 1990, had designated for use as ball fields.

A lack of available funds, blamed on the defeat of a $70 million recreation bond, scrapped the city's plans to build those diamonds, creating a need for a public-private partnership proposal.

The Council gave its approval to the project on July 14, 1997. The BLM gave its OK on Nov. 13. The project received its funding in April from Newcort/AT&T Capital.

However, on June 2, a lawsuit was filed in District Court by a Northwest Las Vegas resident seeking to halt the project.

Last week, Judge Jack Lehman declined to issue a temporary restraining order and sent the matter to the planning commission's review hearing. That move paved the way for construction to begin this morning.

Schlesinger, a lawyer who plays league softball, roller hockey and ice hockey, says he feels confident he will be able to show the commission that he has met all of the city's requirements for the project.

"Traditionally, the review of a final design plan requires that we satisfy the need for access, parking, landscaping and building elevations," Schlesinger said. "I believe we more than meet those requirements."

The complex will have access points off Rampart and Vegas. Original city plans for the ballfields called for just one access point from Rampart.

As for parking, the Sportspark's lot on the southeast side will have spaces for 480 cars, where the city requires just 350 spaces.

The landscape design calls for more than the required amount of trees and shrubbery.

As for elevations, Schlesinger said that the existing park on the west side and an 8-to-9-foot slope from there provides a buffer for the residential community to the west.

"After extensive talks with city staff, we have made radical changes to our original plans," Schlesinger said of the 36-foot-high single-story buildings. "We even changed the planned colors from blue and white to earth tones, at the city's request, to match surrounding buildings."

The vote of the Planning Commission is final. By law, only the applicants can file an appeal to the City Council should they get an unfavorable ruling from the commissioners. If such a hearing is necessary for the Sportspark, it likely would be held Aug. 10.

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