Compromise still sought on Summerlin hotel

Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2004 | 9:31 a.m.

Opponents and planners of a new resort in Summerlin met for four hours Monday night in an effort to find a compromise design for the new Red Rock Station.

Both sides reported some progress in the discussions and said they would continue talks today. They hope to have a compromise to bring to the Clark County Commission on Wednesday.

The two sides have fought over the issue of the height of the central tower for the proposed hotel near Charleston Boulevard and the Las Vegas Beltway. The original Station Casinos plans called for 1,500 rooms and a 300-foot central tower.

Opponents want a shorter tower and want the project, which Station Casinos executives have called the jewel in the companys Las Vegas empire of neighborhood casinos, scaled back overall.

At a Dec. 7 zoning meeting, county commissioners said they would not support a 300-foot tower but saw value in having a big resort at the location. After hours of contentious testimony from Station Casinos executives and planners on one side and neighborhood activists and environmentalists on the other, the commissioners directed both sides to negotiate a compromise.

Failure to find a compromise will mean the commission will impose a solution, commissioners warned.

Seven opponents of the project and five Station Casinos negotiators met at the West Sahara Library behind closed doors Monday. Both sides said they will not discuss the details of those conversations before Wednesday's commission meeting or a compromise is found.

While Monday night's negotiations did not result in a definitive compromise, participants said they are closer today than they have been.

"We had some pretty positive discussions, Station Casinos Vice President Lesley Pittman said. "There are still some things to be worked out over the course of the next 24 hours."

Agreeing was Gabriel Lither -- a Las Vegas lawyer, Summerlin resident and a founder of the group, Summerlin Residents for Responsible Growth, that sprang up to oppose the size of the project.

"We had a good meeting, he said. "It was productive, but we plan on having additional conversations."