Prospects for NLV’s downtown looking up

By Mike Trask

Saturday, June 14, 2008 | 2 a.m.

North Las Vegas is inching closer to refurbishing its oldest neighborhoods along Las Vegas Boulevard North, with the City Council expected to review a downtown master plan by the end of summer.

“Everybody is looking to see an upgrade from an aesthetic perspective and offering the types of retail and restaurants they have in the rest of the city that is kind of lacking downtown,” said Larry Bender, redevelopment manager.

Nearly $1 billion has been invested in upcoming downtown projects, including cornerstones of the redevelopment: Las Flores Shopping Plaza, a new city hall and expansion of the Silver Nugget.

Las Flores’ groundbreaking is expected early next year on a vacant lot on the west side of Las Vegas Boulevard. Across the street the Silver Nugget plans to add 375 hotel rooms, more bowling lanes and a theater.

Next to the Silver Nugget, the city plans to build a $156 million city hall.

Bender said the city has been working to find a way to allow North Vista Hospital to expand. One idea is to move police headquarters, next door to the hospital, to the current site of City Hall.

“It’s feasible,” Bender said. “The questions are always timing and money.”

The 238-acre downtown redevelopment area is bordered by Cheyenne Avenue, Pecos Road, Owens Avenue and Interstate 15.

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Red Mountain Music Company in Boulder City faced a flurry of residents’ concerns when it proposed building a 536-seat theater in the historic former Los Angeles Water and Power Building.

Then it regrouped, put together an advisory committee and held a few public meetings.

The committee now recommends a different location for the ambitious project — near the Boulder Creek Golf Club.

The city-owned site at Adams Boulevard and Gingerwood Street was one of several considered by the 13-member advisory panel.

It also considered a park near the city library, a site along Veterans Memorial Parkway and a location at Bootleg Canyon, a mountain bike park on the city’s north side.

The City Council still must approve the site. However, the council has said it would support construction of the theater, previously estimated by music company leaders to cost about $10 million.

If the theater is built near the golf course, that will be a relief to residents who live near the 68-year-old building along Nevada Way. They worried that bringing more than 500 people to the mostly residential area would snarl traffic and create parking problems.

Preservationists complained that a redesign would diminish the architectural significance of the building, which once served as administrative offices for Hoover Dam operators.

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Clark County Registrar of Voters Larry Lomax said he likely will rule Monday on whether to certify recall petitions in Boulder City.

It’s the next step in the long process aimed at recalling City Council members Travis Chandler and Linda Strickland.

Three residents launched a petition to recall the newest council members more than three months ago. Last week they filed petitions to recall Chandler and Strickland with 1,973 and 1,969 signatures, respectively.

Petitioners had to collect 1,085 signatures to place Strickland’s recall on the ballot and 1,268 for Chandler’s. The numbers differ because Strickland was elected in last year’s primary election, but Chandler was elected in the fall’s general election, which had a higher turnout.

Although it appears the petition gatherers have more than enough signatures, a recent Nevada secretary of state’s opinion says only those who voted in the 2007 elections could sign recall petitions.

That could result in some signatures being tossed during county and state reviews. Supporters of Strickland and Chandler also contend some individuals signed the petitions twice.

If the signatures are certified by the Clark County Election Department and validated by the secretary of state, a recall election likely will be held in late July or early August.