World leaders relaxing in the desert?

By Charlotte Hsu, Mike Trask

Monday, June 16, 2008 | 2 a.m.

The idea sounds noble, even if it doesn’t mesh perfectly with the decadence synonymous with Las Vegas. In a 61-word item, Architecture magazine noted a $300 million private retreat for world leaders is planned for the Nevada desert.

The big plans are to come to fruition on the shores of man-made Lake Las Vegas in Henderson. The planned 65-acre sanctuary would be set against the bleached backdrop of pink-and-brown desert mountains and the polished lawns of the man-made oasis. It will be called Universitas Leadership Sanctuary.

Imagine, world leaders in retreat by the lake.

So is Lake Las Vegas excited about the plan?

Might be, except that a spokeswoman for Lake Las Vegas said she never heard of the idea. She checked around and reported back that head honchos of the company that owns the undeveloped land in the area also hadn’t heard about this “unique refuge.”

Strange.

Maybe they missed it. After all, they are a bit distracted trying to turn around the financially troubled company they took over in January after its original developer defaulted on a loan.

So how about the Henderson officials? They must be excited. The city’s economic development office would surely be in the loop if such a project were on the horizon.

Wouldn’t this be a major boon to the city?

“That’s the first time I’ve heard of it,” said Bob Cooper, Henderson’s economic development manager. “Everything’s been all quiet at the waterfront since the bankruptcy.”

Okay, how about the Henderson planning department. A development like this would need building permits, probably a zoning variance.

“I have not heard anything or even seen a concept plan,” said Scott Majewski, a Henderson principal planner. “We would be one of the first to know.”

Gulp.

Maybe Architecture magazine has some answers? After all, it published those 61 words.

Four of the magazine’s editors did not respond to e-mail from the Sun. A voice mail left for another was also not returned.

Gad, this is getting desperate. Google?

And there it was. A sparse Web site for a Destination Universitas. The site says the project is headed by Donna Vassar, who is referred to in various media clippings as a member of the Vassar family, which founded the college of the same name in New York state.

The Destination Universitas Foundation, which says it’s a nonprofit organization, intends to create an “exclusive and dynamic environment” that will “provide a transformational environment where leaders will be inspired to be effective in the 21st century.”

From the Web site we found Matt Rich, a spokesman for the foundation. He said: None of the project’s leaders was available for comment. He declined to comment beyond that, other than to promise that the Sun would be the first to know.

Know what?

He really couldn’t say.

If the day comes when he really can say, his comments will be read with great interest here.

Carol Harter, UNLV president emerita, said she would welcome any successful organization that could help enlarge Las Vegas’ intellectual footprint.

If the Universitas Leadership Sanctuary comes to the Las Vegas Valley, Harter hopes it would interact with the community through activities such as public events or leadership development programs for locals.

“I think the community absolutely needs as much cultural and intellectual upgrading as we can possibly have,” said Harter, executive director of UNLV’s Black Mountain Institute, which strives to bring literary voices into discussions on global issues such as immigration.

“If it can work,” she said, “it would be terrific.”