County loses bid to delay trial in land suit

Thursday, Oct. 26, 2000 | 10:22 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court Wednesday denied a last-ditch effort by Clark County to delay a trial to set the value of land on Tropicana Avenue condemned by the county in 1994 to widen the street.

The court said it would not intervene in the suit that is scheduled for trial in Las Vegas Nov. 7.

The county condemned part of a 44.6-acre parcel on Tropicana, north of McCarran International Airport. In November 1995 the owners filed a counterclaim for the taking of their airspace.

The owners said a height restriction was imposed on their property by airport zoning ordinances and other airport activities. Without the height restriction, the land is well suited for a hotel, they claim. And that would increase the value of the land taken by the county.

The county says the landowners do not have standing to seek compensation because the ordinance on the height restriction was enacted before the condemnation by the county.

Clark County filed several motions for dismissal or summary judgment during the five years but was unsuccessful.

The owners are Westpark Inc., Tien Fu Hsu, Lisa Su Trust, Lisa Su Trustee and Peter Liao.

Part of the land was occupied by a mobile home park and the rest was vacant.