No support shown for proposed state museum in Boulder City

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Thursday, March 26, 1998 | 1:59 a.m.

Instead, the IFC wants a subcommittee to discuss putting money into upgrading the existing Nevada State Museum in Lorenzi Park in Las Vegas or select another site.

State Museums and History Division Administrator Scott Miller said he was surprised by the IFC's action Wednesday.

"We were looking for ways down the road to reduce expenses," Miller said.

A study by the Robert Charles Lesser & Co. recommended a 50-acre site owned by the state in Boulder City for a new museum, which could cost $15 million.

The state also anticipated constructing a railroad museum on the same property, a step which would have allowed the two facilities to share some costs.

The Lorenzi Park museum in 1997 attracted 25,300 visitors, down from 61,700 in 1989. The facility has only 35,000 square feet and its location, about four miles northwest of downtown Las Vegas, is hard for tourists to find.