Council looks at converting private golf course to a regional park

Thursday, June 20, 2002 | 9:56 a.m.

The North Las Vegas City Council unanimously directed city staff Wednesday night to explore all options to turn the private Craig Ranch Golf Course into a regional park.

The 132-acre golf course with its watering holes and trees is a haven in an urban area encroaching around it.

Ultimately it will be up to golf course owner Donald Nelson, the Bureau of Land Management and Nevada's congressional delegation to work out the details, Mayor Michael Montandon said.

Nelson approached the city in May, saying he would like to swap the golf coure at the southeast corner of Commerce Street and Lone Mountain Road for a 640-acre parcel of Bureau of Land Management property north of the Las Vegas Beltway route.

Few spoke against the park. Even developers American Nevada and Del Webb Corp., which opposed the swap for property adjacent to their planned community, endorsed the park concept in a letter to council members.

"I think absolutely this is in the best interest of the community," Councilwoman Stephanie Smith said, describing the golf course as "a new gift that has fallen into our laps."

Councilwoman Shari Buck had reservations about the proposal. The park could cost North Las Vegas $15 million to develop, she said.

Buck also noted that the land swap does not comply with the 1998 Southern Nevada Lands Act. The act shifted the disposal of BLM land from swaps to sales, with the proceeds going to primarily to buy environmentally sensitive land.

"We are setting a precedent," Buck said. "I don't approve of us taking the lead on this."

Buck said she would be more comfortable if Nevada's two senators and two representatives supported the plan in writing.

Councilman William Robinson made a motion that allows for the city's staff to look at all options for acquiring the golf course as a future park.