Thursday, Sept. 12, 2002 | 11:09 a.m.
Although developers presented a mountain of support for an 800-room hotel-casino, they told the North Las Vegas Planning Commission that it could be eight years before the resort is built.
The planning commission unanimously approved the hotel-casino plan proposed by North Valley Enterprises LLC on Wednesday night, including an eight-year special permit.
The resort site is on 40 acres of land north of the Las Vegas beltway near Simmons Street.
Attorney Robert Gronauer of Las Vegas represented the developer at the hearing.
The project would improve the city's economy by offering jobs and recreation to future neighbors, Gronauer said.
Although there were no protests or any other public comment, Gronauer presented a petition signed by 5,000 North Las Vegas residents in support of the hotel-casino.
Academics, developers and 500 neighbors living near other local casinos also contributed reasons why the project would be good for the area, which is undeveloped.
Keith Schwer, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, prepared a report showing that the hotel, expected to be built in two phases, will generate a $50 million payroll for 1,600 construction workers in its first phase.
Hotel employees are expected to number 1,444 and the annual property, gaming and room taxes are forecast at $1 million a year, the report said.
The North Las Vegas Public Works staff had no issues as far as roads, water, sewers or utilities were concerned.
North Las Vegas Fire Chief Robert Dodge wrote a letter saying that the developer had agreed to build a fire station on Elkhorn Road, less than a mile from the hotel site.
City planners did ask the commission to reduce the height of the hotel's proposed signs on the beltway and on Simmons from 150 feet to 100 feet.
North Valley Enterprise LLC is a partnership between developers American Nevada Corp. and Del Webb. American Nevada Corp. is owned by the Greenspun family, which owns the Sun.
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