Hughes sues county in tax dispute

Tuesday, June 22, 2004 | 10:34 a.m.

Summerlin developer Howard Hughes Corp. is disputing $1.4 million in taxes paid to Clark County after an alleged clerical error misstated the value of 3,000 acres of the company's property.

In a lawsuit filed June 14 in Clark County District Court, Howard Hughes Corp. said the county amended the 2003-04 tax rolls without offering the company an opportunity to dispute the revised values of its property.

The property in question includes 2,918 acres west of I-215 at Summerlin Parkway and 71 acres near Town Center Drive and Flamingo Road. The 71 acres was originally appraised at $245,000 and revised to a value of $4.4 million. The 2,918 acres of land was revised to a value of $59.7 million, up from the original appraisal of $20.4 million.

Rob Helling, senior appraisal auditor with the Clark County Assessor's Office, said Howard Hughes officials were made aware of a County Commission meeting where the commissioners approved a correction for the 2,918 acres of land. He said isn't sure whether they were aware of a later meeting where the commissioners approved the correction for the 71 acres of land.