Developers seal deal on 1,900 acres

Mathis Winkler

Thursday, Jan. 17, 2002 | 9:27 a.m.

Applause, a group photo and hugs involving developers and North Las Vegas City Council members on Wednesday sealed an agreement for a $1 billion master-planned community on 1,900 acres at the northern end of the city.

After months of negotiation and years of anticipation, both sides said they are thrilled the still unnamed community's first residents would be able to move in by the end of the year.

"This is the highlight of my career," said Councilman William Robinson, who has been in office since 1983. "To have it become reality is such a good feeling."

The developers agreed and said construction would begin April 1.

"I'm excited," said Phillip Peckman, the chief operating officer of the Greenspun Corp., which owns American Nevada Corp. as well as the Las Vegas Sun.

American Nevada Corp. and Del Webb Corp., partnering as North Valley Enterprises, bought the land from the Bureau of Land Management at an auction in May.

The site sits roughly between Centennial Parkway, Grand Teton Drive, Decatur Boulevard and Clayton Street and will be bisected by the Las Vegas Beltway, which is under construction and should be finished later this year.

Peckman said his company would also like to develop a remaining 5,600 acres of federal land in the city as it comes up for auction.

"We'd like to build the entire 7,500 acres," he said. "That would be a pleasure to do."

For now, Del Webb officials will develop a neighborhood for people 55 and older on the site's northeastern corner. The project's first phase will include about 200 homes that should be ready by the end of the year. A total of 2,600 homes are planned for that neighborhood.

American Nevada wants to build about 1,300 apartments and 3,600 homes on the remainder of the land. The community will include homes in all price ranges, starting with houses for first-time home buyers all the way up to mansion-style executive homes.

City Council members on Wednesday also voted to pay a $1.3 million water connection fee for the community's 18-hole golf course to the Southern Nevada Water Authority, as required by the development agreement. The developers will reimburse the city within 18 months.