UNLV project may face funds delay

Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2002 | 11:03 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Despite pleas from UNLV officials, the state Public Works Board has recommended a two-year delay of funding for the university's $60 million science and engineering building.

If Gov. Kenny Guinn agrees, the project would not be included in his budget until 2005. But that would delay the project's completion only six months, board Chairman Sean Carnahan said.

It was one decision by the board, which at an all-day meeting Tuesday set its tentative priorities on which projects should be financed by the 2003 Legislature.

Among the top priorities were a 150-bed psychiatric hospital in Clark County to cost $32.2 million and a $17.2 million 604-bed work center at the Indian Springs Prison.

The board estimated there would be $130.3 million in bonding capacity available to finance maintenance and construction projects during the next three years. Another $65 million in other money is also available to pay for some work.

The board will hold another meeting to rank the projects and then submit its list to Guinn, who will make the final recommendations to the Legislature.

UNLV received $8.8 million from the 2001 Legislature to start planning, infrastructure work and design of the science and engineering building. But Carnahan, of Reno, said the building's design still was not far enough along to determine its exact cost.

Board member Renny Ashleman of Las Vegas, however, argued for including the project on the top priority list. He said the planning was as complete as many of the other projects on the list and UNLV has committed to building the complex with the money available.

The project has already been reduced from 230,000 square feet to 170,000 square feet, board member John Breternitz of Reno said, adding he wanted to see firm figures.

UNLV has promised to raise $25 million and wants the state to put up $35 million for the building, which is expected to attract scientists and researchers to Southern Nevada who would help diversify the economy, supporters say.

According to a schedule before the planning board, construction would not start until January 2005.

Thomas M. Hagge, associate vice president for facilities, management and planning at UNLV, told the board he expected the design to be completed six months ahead of schedule. He said the project could be ready for construction early in 2004.

Every year of delay, Hagge said, would add $2 million in inflation costs.

He also suggested that millions of research dollars would be lost.

UNLV is committed to keeping the project within a $75 million budget, Hagge said.

"There is no risk of budget creep," he said.

Delaying the project, Hagge said, would have a "severe negative" impact on retaining research faculty and attracting new researchers.

"This is something we need to launch economic diversification," he said.

But the new building could not compete with a new mental hospital in Southern Nevada, a project Guinn had already thrown his weight behind.

Ashleman, in supporting the mental health facility, said emergency rooms at hospitals are overcrowded with people with mental problems because the state doesn't have room to accept them.

Other Southern Nevada projects that gained top priorities were a $9.4 million Department of Motor Vehicles building in North Las Vegas; $4 million for furniture and equipment for the telecommunications building at the Cheyenne campus of the Community College of Southern Nevada; and $2 million for furnishing and equipment for the Nevada State College at Henderson.

The motor vehicles building will be paid out of a separate fund and will not use the state's general treasury money.