Station engaged in Tropicana land dealing

Thursday, Sept. 18, 2003 | 11:19 a.m.

The Clark County Commission approved a zone change Wednesday that could ultimately lead to more space for a new or remodeled casino at Tropicana Avenue and Industrial Road.

Station Casinos Inc. owns the existing Wild Wild West hotel-casino and has been buying land around it, leading to speculation that a new Station project could go on the site. A complicated land deal presented to the commission involved Station Casinos, a freight company now located near the Wild Wild West, and a group of landowners 2 miles to the west.

Greg Borgel, a land-use consultant, told the County Commission that the zoning approval to reclassify 14 acres near Post Road and Decatur Boulevard would allow Station to move a freight warehouse and distribution facility away from Tropicana and Industrial.

He said Station was working with landowners in the Decatur and Post area to relocate Yellow Freight's local center there. Borgel said the deal is not closed with Yellow Freight but that conversations are continuing.

Representatives for Kansas-based Yellow Freight could not be reached for comment.

"There is still a deal to be done with Yellow Freight, but obviously we think they are on board or we wouldn't be here," Borgel told the commission.

"The ultimate purpose would be to remodel or replace the existing casino with a larger, better Stations facility," Borgel said after the 4-0 approval.

The rezoning request was formally opposed by Clark County staff, which noted that although the area is already zoned for manufacturing, the new zoning would be a more intense use not considered in the area's master plan.

The proposal had the support of the Spring Valley Town Advisory Board and the Clark County Planning Commission, and no one spoke against it at the County Commission meeting.

Borgel said the trucks and warehouse activity would be thoroughly buffered from residences about 1,000 feet to the west.

Lesley Pittman, Station Casinos vice president for government relations, said her company did not have "any immediate plans to do something with Wild Wild West." "These have been discussions going on for quite some time," she said. "There's really not a whole lot going on."

Moving Yellow Freight out of the neighborhood would help ease traffic congestion for both employees and casino guests at Wild Wild West, she said.

In June, Station Casinos purchased about 20 acres of land next to Wild Wild West for about $28 million. The property included about 270,000 square feet of office and warehouse space.

At the time, Pittman said the purchase would help the company "control what goes on there."