Nothing concrete in future of West LV project

Sito Negron

Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2004 | 9:42 a.m.

The Edmond Town Center project received vocal support from some West Las Vegas religious leaders Monday, but its future continued to be uncertain.

Friday, city officials wrote developer John Edmond a letter confirming that the project was behind deadline to pour concrete for the foundation and that they intended "to pursue remedies, legal and equitable, available under the (agreement)."

What that means, City Manager Doug Selby said, is that "it's our intent to pursue recovering that property."

Edmond wants to build a $55 million retail center in the heart of West Las Vegas, an economically stagnant area near Bonanza Road and Martin Luther King Boulevard that has not seen much new construction over the years. The deal involved the donation of city land, but included deadlines -- which were extended at least twice -- by which he was to begin construction.

The original completion time was to have been February 2003. The last deadline to begin construction was Tuesday.

That came after members of Edmond's Nucleus/WSA Management development team asked the council July 21 to give them one last chance. They said the 20-acre project would bring 250 permanent jobs paying at least $8 an hour and would produce $22 million in retail sales and $1.54 million in sales tax.

The council, going against Councilman Lawrence Weekly's wishes, voted 6-1 to allow the extension, which specifically included the stipulation that Edmond begin construction. The council also required a total of $150,000 in good faith deposits.

Weekly, who represents the area where Edmond is trying to build and has expressed frustration with the pace of the project, said Monday he wasn't sure what should happen next.

"I guess we'll cross the bridge when we get to it," he said. "I need to have some briefings and find out everything."

The portion of the contract Selby pointed to as reason to terminate the agreement with Edmond reads that construction must resume "as evidenced by the initial pouring of slab (foundation) on grade."

Selby said his instructions from the council July 21 appeared to be clear -- that they wanted to see concrete on the ground.

However, Edmond interprets the "initial pouring of slab" to mean preparing the ground -- compacting soil, and installing the plumbing and electrical, for example.

Selby said if Edmond wants to stop the city from canceling his contract, it must be an action directed by the council, which could grant another extension, or accept Edmond's interpretation of the contract.

"As staff, maybe we read a little more into it than the council intended, but the record of the council meeting was fairly clear in that they were looking for a substantial commitment which I think was mentioned at the council meeting as pouring the foundation," Selby said.

But, he said, the "council could tell us (that) perhaps staff misinterpreted the intent, that they (Edmond's development team) are out there, that they have a contractor under contract, and are doing construction."

Edmond, who said Monday he had financing lined up and was ready to go, has his supporters in the community.

Rev. James Rogers, of Greater New Jerusalem Church, said the project is sorely needed.

"I see no reason why the project should be halted. There have been some challenges in the past, (but) we really need to have this project done," Rogers said. "The community has been without a retail center for years the council should do all they can to make the project successful."