Commission takes land sales out of airport hands

Stephen Curran

Wednesday, April 20, 2005 | 8:52 a.m.

The Clark County Commission on Tuesday voted to move forward with a measure approved earlier this month to centralize land sales previously handled by McCarran International Airport.

The board approved the motion 6-0 to authorize Commission Chairman Rory Reid to sign the new policy, which would move sales of airport-owned land to the county's Real Property Management Department. The policy, which would officially bar the airport from negotiating these transactions, was first approved at the April 5 commission meeting.

Commissioner Myrna Williams, who approved of the policy at the previous commission meeting, was absent Tuesday.

The backbone of the changes is a move to sell any land previously owned by the Aviation Department by public auction, except for what the policy defines as "narrow exceptions," including transferring the land to other government entities or certain private nonprofit organizations. The changes came after what critics have called questionable transactions between the county and private individuals, many of whom turned around and sold the land at significantly higher prices.

Under the new policy, land parcels must be independently appraised and verified by at least one other independent appraisal.

The transactions have come under harsh scrutiny after complaints about deals between the airport and land broker Scott Gragson that made millions of dollars for private interests. Clark County auditors, joined by the district attorney's office, Metro Police, the FBI and federal officials, have since launched a probe into airport land deals.

That audit, begun in early February, is expected to take at least two months.

In an earlier interview with the Sun, Clark County Manager Thom Reilly estimated that more than 40 such land trades have occurred.

The policy approved Tuesday includes a newly added measure proposed to the commission by Assistant County Manager Virginia Valentine that would transfer the sale to a real estate broker from an "approved list" should a public auction be unsuccessful.

Speaking briefly on the matter after the commission's vote, county Aviation Director Randy Walker would not say whether he thought the new policy was necessary.

"I fully support the direction of the board," Walker said. "I don't have a problem with it."