Guinn's biggest state building projects will be located in Southern Nevada

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn has proposed a state building program of $207.5 million for the next two years, with the three biggest projects located in Southern Nevada.

The capital improvement program includes a $50.7 million addition to the Cold Springs prison near Indian Springs. That would add 1,000 beds to the first phase of the prison now under construction.

While the new prison is being built, the governor is going to close the state prison at Jean in Clark County and transfer the inmates to Indian Springs. Plans call for the Jean prison to be leased by other states who need space for inmates.

Guinn suggests that $27.2 million be spent on an 80,000-square-foot science building on the West Charleston campus of the Community College of Southern Nevada. And he proposes $15 million for remodeling and furnishing the UNLV Dickerson Library for the Boyd Law School.

A new office building for the Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety is proposed in Las Vegas at a cost of $12.1 million.

Other major projects on the funding list call for a $10.8 million National Guard complex in Carson City, $12.2 million for a new satellite campus for the University of Nevada, Reno and $10 million for new construction at the Nevada Mental Health Center in Sparks. The mental health project was delayed from this biennium.

Most of the other money goes for maintenance and repair projects. The governor has set aside $2.9 million for campus improvements at UNLV and $4.1 million for similar work at the older campus in Reno. There is $1 million ticketed for maintenance projects at the Community College of Southern Nevada.

The governor suggests $288,500 be spent to renovate and add to the existing Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services in Las Vegas for a crisis center.

Unlike past years, Guinn is not putting up any cash to finance these projects. He is floating $155.5 million in bonds, spending $12.1 million from the highway fund and using $39.7 million in other money such as funds from the federal government.

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