Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Planning Commission deadlocked on ride

Residents living east of the Stratosphere won a victory of sorts Thursday to keep the casino's proposed thrill ride out of their neighborhood, but their next mission lies ahead in convincing the City Council to also deny the project.

Following a hearing that lasted more than four hours Thursday night, in which the Stratosphere presented expert witnesses who testified that the proposed ride would have minimal impact on traffic and generate little noise, the Planning Commission deadlocked on a vote to deny the project, 2-2.

The application will be appealed to the council, which will have a final vote on the Stratosphere's proposal June 5. The commission's vote will go forward with no recommendation.

John Delikanakis, who heads the Beverly Green neighborhood association, said it was a victory for the neighborhoods because there were valid arguments by two of the commissioners that the ride would not be compatible with the neighborhood.

"We're confident we will win at the City Council level," he said.

Commissioners Laura McSwain and Steven Evans voted to deny the Stratosphere's application, saying the ride would harm the downtown residential neighborhood.

"The neighborhood's voices need to be heard and they need to be respected." Evans said. "Why this applicant is so committed to a very unpopular project I'm not really sure. Maybe this is an industry that's not used to being told no."

Commissioners Byron Goynes and Stephen Quinn voted against a denial, saying the ride is critical to inject new energy into downtown. Commissioners Craig Galati, Richard Truesdell and Michael Buckley abstained.

The commission's decision puts a final decision one step closer to the neighborhood, whose residents have attended a handful hearings since the Stratosphere first proposed the thrill ride last year. On every occasion neighbors have outnumbered those in support of the project. But nearly 100 Stratosphere employees attended the meeting to show their support, saying the ride was crucial to attracting more tourists and adding new jobs.

Attorney John Moran Jr., representing the Stratosphere, presented his lengthy case more like a trial than a presentation, with four expert witnesses, two file boxes full of research, and an easel with illustrations.

Moran, who was backed by his son Attorney J.T. Moran III, said Stratosphere owner Carl Icahn has pledged to continue investing in the property -- planning for a $100 million master plan -- but only if the ride is approved.

Laying out other attractions on the Strip, Moran said the thrill ride is critical for the casino to compete with larger casinos and to attract more people to downtown.

"If I'm a casino owner and I have my hotel downtown and I have to compete with the volcanos, the roller coasters, and sinking ships, I have to do something pretty spectacular," he said.

The Stratosphere first announced the project in August, which was later denied by the Planning Commission. Galati at that time was the swing vote in denying the project. The application was withdrawn at the council level after overwhelming opposition from neighbors.

A scaled-back version was presented to the commission Thursday night, and Moran presented studies that he said proved residents' concerns were unfounded regarding noise and traffic.

Amir Yazdanniyaz, head of local Arup Acoustics, studied the noise levels in the neighborhoods surrounding the Stratosphere. Based on his research he said the proposed ride would be no louder than a bus accelerating down Las Vegas Boulevard.

A representative from Arrow Dynamics, the Utah-based firm that designed the ride, said the ride will be quiet because it is enclosed and has large rubber tires.

Two engineers testified that the ride would cause no observable vibrations or create any additional traffic headaches.

Residents, though, gave little credence to the studies. They have been requesting the studies since last year and heard the results for the first time Wednesday.

Dayvid Figler, a resident who is a deputy special public defender, said the studies mean nothing because they don't address traffic that would be diverted through the neighborhood or how the area would be affected by construction of the ride. He likened the residents' fight to the fight against Yucca Mountain.

"The challenge of living downtown is regenerating a lot that has been lost over the years," he said.

Jeff Silvestri, an attorney representing Alarmco Inc., which has been at its location across from the Stratosphere for 20 years, said his client has concerns over the vibrations, but also sides with the neighbors.

"Nobody wants to live and work under a roller coaster that's going 100 mph," he said.

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