Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Henderson OKs 160-acre lot for space, science center

Science center site

The Henderson City Council has approved a 160-acre lot of city-owned land as the future site of the Henderson Space and Science Center.

The council voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve a location at U.S. 95 and Galleria Drive. The area is expected to be used as a “mixed use” plot with the science center serving as the centerpiece.

The decision was made after consultants, hired by the city, determined the site would be the most suitable location. A location at the northwest corner of Lake Mead Parkway and Water Street also was considered.

Councilwoman Kathleen Boutin said she voted for the U.S. 95 location because of the consultants' recommendation, and because they had “reassessed traffic flow” in the area.

“It reaffirmed that we did, indeed, select the right location,” she said.

At a city council meeting in June, Mayor Andy Hafen said the U.S. 95 and Galleria site was preferred – as long as land improvements could be made at a reasonable cost.

The center is estimated to cost $63 million. The city set aside $80,000 of a $234,000 one-year budget for the Space and Science Advisory Board to pay consultant fees.

The approved location was favored by the city, in part, because it would allow for a museum campus and gathering place, instead of a single building.

The site will require improvements before building can start, such as utility work, grading of the land and roadway improvements, city spokeswoman Kathleen Richards said.

A schedule for building the museum, including when it would open, hasn't been set.

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy