Thursday, April 20, 2000 | 11:03 a.m.
Flanked by Bureau of Land Management State Director Robert Abbey and bombarded by the flash of cameras, the North Las Vegas City Council became land partners with the agency Wednesday, agreeing to sell 1,200 acres of federal land in the city's northwest as early as next year.
Or, Mayor Michael Montandon hopes, even earlier.
The historic agreement with the BLM fulfills an effort that council members laid out 10 years ago and marks the beginning of 7,500 acres worth of master-planned communities in North Las Vegas.
A conceptual map in council chambers for the 1,200-acre parcel shows two villages bound by Grand Teton, Decatur Boulevard and Centennial Parkway.
The first, made up of low-, medium- and high-density development, is sprinkled with hues of orange, yellow and green marking five parks, two elementary schools, a high school and a middle school.
The second village is conceived as home to a driving range, assisted living facilities, a fire station and a fossil preserve.
All of this, Abbey said, will meet the needs of the citizens moving into the area.
"This is a great day all around," he said, after signing the agreement with Montandon. "This is the first step in providing the economic boom they've desired for so many years."
According to the agreement, a land auction could come as soon as May 2001, and if last year's sale is any indication, the price could reach $100,000 an acre.
The 1998 Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act provides for all revenue from the sales to remain in Nevada.
Diana Sahagun covers North Las Vegas for the Sun. She can be reached at (702) 259-2320 or by e-mail at [email protected]
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