County may ditch Harmon Avenue plan

A slowdown in revenue from room taxes has prompted a county commissioner to suggest Clark County scrap its controversial plan to extend Harmon Avenue across the Strip and over Interstate 15.

County Commissioner Mary Kincaid suggested to fellow commissioners Tuesday that the county instead convert Twain Avenue into an east-west thoroughfare because the Rio hotel-casino is already paying to stretch the road across I-15.

The Harmon Avenue project has been in the works for months, and cost estimates range from a $4 million traditional intersection to a $39 million tunnel that would guide vehicles below Las Vegas Boulevard.

Harmon Avenue plans have also caused the Aladdin hotel-casino to file a lawsuit against the county, saying the tunnel version would deter visitors from its new $1.8 billion casino.

Kincaid's suggestion came after Finance Director George Stevens told commissioners that revenue to Clark County coffers from room taxes along the Las Vegas Strip aren't pouring in as they were a couple years ago, forcing the county to set priorities on major projects.

"Room taxes have somewhat flattened out," Stevens told commissioners Tuesday. "They're still growing, but not nearly at the rate we've seen in the past."

The taxes go into the Resort Corridor Fund, which pays for major improvements in the area.

Kincaid noted that savings from pursuing Twain instead of Harmon Avenue could help the county come up with the $4 million it needs to finish the Spring Mountain Road extension.

"If we make Twain the thoroughfare, maybe that would be a better place to get that money," Kincaid said. "It would be money better spent to finish Spring Mountain."

Stevens also told commissioners the cost of the Las Vegas Beltway has increased about $83 million, but added that the project will not be delayed.

Because of an escalation in property values, the acquisition costs of rights-of-way for the beltway have increased by $31 million. An additional $13 million is needed for drainage improvements on a section running north to Sahara Avenue, and the county will spend $39 million to extend the beltway from Sahara to Summerlin Parkway, a portion previously unfunded.

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