Thursday, April 30, 1998 | 2:22 a.m.
Local politicians encouraged Summerlin residents to take action -- possibly legal action -- against the Howard Hughes Corp. for not telling homeowners about planned neighborhood casinos, sports parks and apartment complexes adjacent to their homes.
Almost 100 Summerlin homeowners voiced their concerns Wednesday night to a panel of elected officials at a meeting in which 1,165 homes were represented.
Among specific projects mentioned by homeowners was The Resort at Summerlin hotel-casino, which was recently approved for 600 rooms rather than 300. Also targeted was an apartment complex planned for a village center in the Pueblo neighborhood.
"At the time of purchase, there was no mention of any sort of apartment housing in the Pueblo Village Center," Eileen Krellenstein, who organized the meeting and represents the Sedona neighborhood in Summerlin, said. "There was nothing written, it wasn't on the map -- there wasn't anything. How could 175 of us homeowners just not see it?"
The planned Sportspark in Summerlin also was named as a project that neighboring homeowners were never notified about.
"They never said anything about this in our little book of information," Faye Steinberg, a Summerlin resident and neighborhood activist who spoke to the panel, said. "They're going to have ballfields, a roller rink, an ice rink and batting cages ... the traffic is going to be horrible."
Residents also were upset with their lack of representation on the Summerlin Homeowners Association board.
According to the homeowners, they signed a contract when they bought their homes requiring them to be members. However, since not all of the homes in Summerlin are built, Howard Hughes Corp. holds the majority of the votes on the homeowners board.
"They wouldn't even let us come in and sit in on the meetings," several residents yelled to the panel.
Elected officials agreed to lobby to change laws during the 1999 Legislature to help protect homeowners. They also agreed to do what they could to encourage Howard Hughes Corp. to better inform homebuyers and listen to residents.
Present at the meeting were: representatives of Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.; Reps. Jim Gibbons and John Ensign, both R-Nev.; Lt. Gov. Lonnie Hammargren; and Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa.
State Sens. Ray Rawson, R-Las Vegas, and Michael Schneider, D-Las Vegas; Assemblywoman Deanna Braunlin, R-Las Vegas; and Clark County Commissioner Lance Malone were also present. Las Vegas City Councilman Arnie Adamsen left the meeting early.
"I'm going to call Howard Hughes tomorrow," Malone said. "And I'm going to tell them to stick to what they say they're going to do."
Rawson and Las Vegas City Attorney Steve George told the residents that their only course of action -- according to Nevada law -- is to file a lawsuit against Howard Hughes Corp. for improperly disclosing the projects to residents, which elicited applause from the crowd.
"I'm shocked to see the lack of representation," Rawson said. "It doesn't follow good government ... If I were you, I'd get the best attorney I know and slow down this process until the next legislative session when the laws can be changed."
Steinberg said, "We better stand together, and sue them for not taking homeowners complaints."
Ken Record, a Summerlin resident, said, "If necessary, we better form a residents association and kick butt with class action suits if we have to."
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