County to auction valuable Strip parcel in July

Adrienne Packer

Tuesday, June 26, 2001 | 10:59 a.m.

A special Clark County Commission meeting called Monday to guarantee a July auction date for a Las Vegas Strip parcel satisfied a major campaign contributor who represents a company that wants the site.

Despite the presence of several potential bidders, board members preparing to sell the $20 million piece of land next to the Aladdin turned their attention to attorney Frank Schreck.

Schreck represents Voyager LLC, which is planning to build the world's largest Ferris wheel if his group secures the 2.3 acres during a July 24 auction.

"This $80 million project will greatly enhance the Strip," Schreck said.

Voyager had been negotiating for the county-owned property at the Strip and Harmon Avenue for eight months before administrators decided to auction the valuable land to the highest bidder.

The land was initially acquired as part of a plan to extend Harmon Avenue across the Strip.

Public Works spokesman Bobby Shelton said the county had not intended to sell the parcel until after the project was completed and the leftover acreage was declared surplus. Interest in the land and Schreck's deadline prompted the county to auction it off early.

"This is an exception to the rules of operation," Shelton said.

The commission postponed setting an auction date during its regular meeting last week after board member Erin Kenny noted the land was appreciating at a rate of 1 percent per month and wondered if the county should hold onto it.

Faced with financing deadlines, Schreck called upon Commissioners Dario Herrera and Myrna Williams to petition for Monday's special meeting.

Pleas were ignored to postpone the auction to allow developers and real estate consultants more time to evaluate one of the last pieces of vacant land on the Strip and pitch it to potential buyers.

"What's the hurry to sell this?" asked developer Art Petrie, also citing the appreciation rate of the property. "This is Times Square at 42nd Street and Broadway. Why do you want to sell it in three weeks?"

Petrie said he has expressed interest in the property since the county began designing the realignment of Harmon Avenue two years ago. Harmon eventually will slice through a portion of the property. Stringent conditions on the land allow the county to use what is needed for the superarterial.

Williams battled with the commission's attorney Mary Anne Miller about the conditions, noting that similar conditions are not typically placed on surplus land sales. She said that if this sale had such stipulations, she would demand similar restraints on future sales.

"Every time we auction or do land swaps, I want these conditions," Williams said, adding that it doesn't matter if the land is considered surplus and is of no use to the county. "If it's not done on everyone, I will bring it up every single time." Williams also feuded with fellow board member Yvonne Atkinson Gates, who reminded her that an auction has yet to be held and Schreck isn't guaranteed the land.

"Your discussion is like Frank is going to get it," Atkinson Gates said. "You're making the presumption they'll be the highest bidder but they might not be."

Williams, who quickly refuted Atkinson Gates' assessment, said she simply wanted to ensure Schreck's group was treated fairly after working eight months with the county.

Schreck also tried to comfort commissioners and competitors, who became restless when some board members continued to run their options by the attorney.

"There has never been everything secret about any of this," Schreck said.