UNR seeks larger presence in Southern Nevada

Jennifer Knight

Friday, Aug. 2, 2002 | 10:42 a.m.

Turf tensions are growing over a proposal by the University of Nevada, Reno, to set up fund-raising and recruiting operations at a prominent location in the Las Vegas Valley.

UNR is asking the Board of Regents for permission to acquire 7 1/2 acres of federal land off Interstate 215 on Windmill Parkway.

The 42,000-square-foot facility would house UNR's Southern Nevada operations, including offices for recruiting, fund-raising and community outreach. UNR currently offers those services in Las Vegas at offices scattered throughout the valley.

But some regents say that UNR's $7.2 million building would be too prominent and, for UNLV, too close for comfort. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is located just eight miles northwest of the proposed site.

"This looks to be a fairly aggressive move," Regent Mark Alden said. "It will be right in the pathway of people coming and going to the airport. If that's the case, we're going to have a provocative war and we'll need to allow UNLV to set up activities in (Reno)."

"I don't like it," UNR professor and Regent Howard Rosenberg said. "I think it is particularly insensitive of UNR to do something like this, particularly near UNLV."

If UNR gains a larger foothold in Las Vegas, the concern is that money and students may migrate north.

Because of that potential for controversy, UNR's request for the land was pulled from the Board of Regents' agenda two months ago. John Lilley, UNR's president, was asked to return with the proposal after getting approval from Southern Nevada stakeholders, Regent Steve Sisolak said.

"He's got to get a buy-in from the other presidents with this," Sisolak said. "My understanding is that this hasn't happened."

UNR representatives contend that the issue has been blown out of proportion and that the new building would simply serve to consolidate its existing services under one roof to save rental costs, John Trent, a UNR spokesman, said.

"I can understand why folks in Nevada would be concerned, but we feel there is no reason to be concerned," Trent said. "We are simply consolidating all of our services to save money."

UNR collectively pays $608,400 a year for three leases in Las Vegas. The request, if approved by regents at their Aug. 15-16 meeting, would result in an issuing of $7.2 million in revenue bonds with a payment of $520,900 a year.

"I would say it sounds like a reasonable idea," Board of Regents Chairman Doug Seastrand said. "To have them become more efficient and combine things in one office makes sense."

Seastrand pointed out that UNR's land-grant status also requires it reach out to people in the state. Land-grant status is a federal designation created in the 1800s to encourage universities to educate the working class. It usually implies federal aid, something that UNR's outreach program in Las Vegas receives.

UNLV officials declined to comment because it would "not be appropriate," spokesman Tom Flagg said.

Whether Lilley and UNLV President Carol Harter are in agreement on the issue is unclear. Trent did say the two have discussed it.

"They have talked about this issue at the Council of Presidents meeting," Trent said. "I think (Lilley) feels pretty good about the channel of communications on this issue."