Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Henderson, Boulder City to weigh police, fire facility

The Boulder City Council on Tuesday will consider continuing plans to build a public safety training facility for police and firefighters in the Eldorado Valley.

If the council approves a memorandum of understanding with Henderson, the cities will move forward with joint development of the 720-acre training grounds, a project nearly 10 years in the works.

Henderson has $1 million set aside for the $6 million project, said Keith Paul, a spokesman for the Henderson Police Department.

The agreement wouldn't place any timelines for construction, but it would mean the cities would continue looking for funding in future appropriation bills, Boulder City Manager Vicki Mayes said. "It's the first step in the process," she said.

In 2007, Boulder City dedicated $150,000 for the master plan of the training grounds to be built near Silver State Materials off U.S. 95, just north of the dry lake bed, Mayes said. At the council meeting, Poggemeyer Design Group will present that master plan.

The facility would have pistol, rifle and shotgun ranges, repelling towers, and a track for emergency vehicle operators to train, Boulder City Police Chief Thomas Finn said.

Boulder City and Henderson would allow other police and fire agencies to use the facility for a fee, he said.

Mayes said $600,000 for the project recently was recently approved through the Legislature's omnibus bill.

Finn said pairing with Henderson on the project is ideal.

"Henderson has money and we have land," he said. "It's a perfect location because it will probably be surrounded some day by solar energy plants, never homes and businesses, so no one will ever complain about the shooting ranges."

Cassie Tomlin can be reached at 948-2073 or [email protected].

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