Golf course foes submit petitions

Lisa Snedeker

Friday, Dec. 4, 1998 | 12:25 p.m.

Referendum petitions have been filed with the Boulder City clerk's office to repeal three ordinances involving the MGM Grand hotel-casino's lease with the city to build two golf courses.

At least one of the ordinances, however, also would affect the city's recently approved lease with three local businessmen to build the Red Ridge Golf Co.'s course, according to City Clerk Vicki Mayes.

The petitioners' committee, made up of residents Edward Eschner, Chris Sutphen, Barbara Raulston, Elizabeth Powell, Susan Brennan and Nancy Hostel, is asking for a repeal of the following ordinances:

Mayes said she is in the process of determining the validity of the signatures, including checking if the petition signers are registered voters.

The city has until Dec. 14 to verify the signatures.

Mayes said while the petitions were submitted with a different number of signatures, each had more than 700. A minimum of 447 valid signatures is needed for the petitions to be considered by the City Council.

"Once I have completed the sufficiency test, I will report directly to the council," she said.

If the petitions have the required number of valid signatures, the council has 30 days to consider repealing the ordinances or put it on the June municipal election ballot.

Despite the opposition of some residents, the City Council in August unanimously approved a 40-year lease agreement for the MGM golf courses on city property northeast of the U.S. 95 and U.S. 93 intersection.

Opponents cited the lease of city land to a gaming company -- Boulder City is a non-gaming municipality -- as one of their concerns.

Under the terms of the lease, MGM will pay the city $750,000 annually for the courses, which will be designed by the world-renowned Rees Jones.

MGM Chief Financial Officer Jim Murren said ground has been broken on the 800 acres.

"Not only have they broken ground, there are tractors all over the place," he said Thursday. "They have cut out the initial layout for the driving range and they are sculpting out some of the holes."

Murren said it will be at least 18 months, or the spring of 2000, before the first player tees off on the up-scale courses.