Ivanpah airport gets go-ahead from Senate

Benjamin Grove

Friday, Oct. 6, 2000 | 11:24 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The Senate on Thursday approved a plan to sell federal land to Clark County for a second Las Vegas airport, which will funnel tourists to the city for years to come.

"I am confident we have reached the best possible solution for the future transportation needs of the Las Vegas Valley," Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said in a statement.

After a long and winding road through Congress -- and numerous objections from environmentalists -- the bill has two small hurdles left. Because Reid attached two amendments to the bill, the House must approve it again. That is expected next week. Then President Clinton must sign it.

"This is an enormous, enormous positive for Las Vegas, an enormous leap forward for the tourism industry," Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., said today.

The legislation allows the Bureau of Land Management to sell Clark County about 6,500 acres in Ivanpah Valley, a dry-lake bed about 30 miles south of Las Vegas. The money would come from Clark County Aviation revenues, such as McCarran International Airport passenger fees and airport concessions.

The new airport's first phase, including two runways, would cost about $500 million and open in 2009 at the earliest, Clark County Aviation Director Randy Walker said. Ultimately, it could handle between 25 million and 30 million passengers, as well as cargo.

McCarran handles about 33 million passengers and is expected to hit its capacity of 55 million passengers in 10 years.

"Air travel to Southern Nevada is one of the arteries of our commerce, and we need to keep expanding for our economy," Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., said. "McCarran, with its growth in flights there, has a finite limit."

Walker was in Washington on Thursday to testify before a House aviation subcommittee on the red tape authorities must wade through to launch major airport projects. By coincidence, several hours later, the 2 1/2-year-old Ivanpah proposal quietly passed in the Senate.

"It was a nice treat for me being here in Washington," Walker said. "This is just a giant step."

Reid and Gibbons led the Ivanpah fight over a number of roadblocks in Congress, primarily concerns that the airport would spur urban sprawl and endanger wildlife in the Mojave National Preserve across California border.

The two were able to work out compromises with lawmakers and environmentalists. The legislation calls for an environmental-impact study.

"This is a big deal," Reid said Thursday night. "This meets all of the environmental concerns. It also is going to allow for an airport we need. In 10 years, we will desperately need this airport."

Reid added two amendments: The Federal Aviation Administration must complete an airspace management plan early in the development process; and federal money from the land sale would be available to protect petroglyphs in Clark County and to buy privately held land in the Mojave National Preserve.