Commissioners approve two casino projects

Thursday, Sept. 20, 2001 | 10:53 a.m.

Two casino projects got Clark County approvals Wednesday -- and developers said that fears of an economic turndown affecting the region probably won't slow construction.

Casino mogul Steve Wynn won approval from the county commissioners for a 514-foot-high, 2,455-room resort he plans to build on the Strip on the site of the Desert Inn. Commissioners voted 6-0 to approve the use permits Wynn needs to build an art gallery and new resort at Sands Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard.

The Olympic Group, which wants to build a 10-story, 400-room resort with a 80,000-square-foot casino, also got a green light from commissioners Wednesday. The group sought a use permit to extend the Strip's gaming district south to the intersection of the Southern Highlands Parkway and Interstate 15 near the south end of the Las Vegas Valley.

The Olympic Group, however, will have to conduct a traffic and transportation study as a condition of commissioners' approval.

Business adviser Arthur W. Ritter, who has worked with citizens' groups to help draft land use guides for the area, told commissioners that he is concerned about the impact of traffic in the area of the Olympic Group's project. He said little affordable housing exists in the area for would-be low-wage employees at the casino, and that could exacerbate traffic and air quality problems in the quickly growing section of the valley.

Despite commissioners' approval, the Wynn project has been the focus of bitter objections from a half-dozen residents who are holding on to properties in Desert Inn Estates, the upscale neighborhood that flanks the east side of the larger Desert Inn property.

Wynn, who did not attend Wednesday's zoning meeting, has bought out most of the homeowners. Those who remain are locked in litigation contesting Wynn's demolition and reconstruction of the 187-acre property near the top of the Strip.

Wynn already had received approval for the project from the Clark County Planning Commission and the Paradise Town Board, an advisory body. Homeowner Stephanie Swain appealed the planning commission's Aug. 23 decision, which kicked the issue to the full county commission.

Swain and other residents reiterated their concerns. Their focus was the question of access along a lane running parallel to Sands Avenue, on the larger Desert Inn property.

The project would eliminate "access and egress for residents that we have had for 50 years," Swain said.

Greg Borgel, a land-use consultant representing Wynn before the commissioners, said the neighbors' concern wasn't an issue.

"We're not denying access. We're improving access," he said.

Commissioner Erin Kenny agreed. Citing county staff, she said the residents or public safety vehicles will maintain access to the strip of private homes -- the 10 that remain -- on the Desert Inn property.

"We've been told ... it's all legal and it's all safe," Kenny said. "You really don't have an issue before this board."

Residents said they will continue their litigation to block the larger redevelopment project.

Anthony Caruso, one of the homeowners, said the residents' homeowners association was improperly commandeered by Wynn and used to harass the residents. The casino executive and developer took control of the association after buying 80 percent of the homes at the site.

The residents' group at the commission meeting said they'd like to have a resolution to their legal effort by the end of February. They could also appeal the commissioners' Wednesday decision.

Notwithstanding the litigation, Marc Rubenstein, a Wynn Resorts senior vice president, said his company wants "to get into the ground" as soon as possible to build the new 45-story resort on the Desert Inn site.

The use permit gives Wynn's companies one year to begin construction.

Representatives of Wynn and the Olympic group remain optimistic despite the current economic climate.

He said only Wynn could say if the economic downturn affecting business in Las Vegas would have an impact on construction or opening timelines. But, "we're proceeding on schedule," he said.