Land swap paves way for veterans home

Thursday, Sept. 24, 1998 | 2:13 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Legislative Interim Finance Committee has approved a land swap with Boudler City that brings the $19.3 million state Veterans Home in Boulder City a step closer to reality.

Lawmakers on Wednesday approved the exchange of 12 state-owned acres of land on the western side of town for 50 acres of undeveloped Boulder City land north of U.S. 93.

The State Commission for Veterans Affairs plans to break ground in December for the state's first skilled nursing care home for aging military veterans.

In May, Legislators decided to go ahead with the design for the 180-bed facility in Boulder City after soil problems caused the initially approved site at Fifth Street and Craig Road in North Las Vegas to be abandoned.

State Public Works officials had estimated that it would have cost up to an additional $2 million to solve the problem on the property that had been donated by the U.S. Air Force.

The federal government will put up $12.5 million for the project.

The decision to move the project to Boulder City drew protests from veterans groups who say it is too far from other veterans health service centers like the Guy veterans clinic and the O'Callaghan federal hospital in Las Vegas.

Ed Gobel, vice president of the Council of Nevada Veterans Organization, said putting the home in Boulder City, 35 miles southeast of Las Vegas, would discourage visitors from traveling so far to see relatives.

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