Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

LV will take more time to study Lamb Park deal

A proposed deal to turn Floyd Lamb State Park over to Las Vegas would prohibit the city from changing what happens in the most-heavily used part of the park, but would ease restrictions on the hundreds of remaining acres to allow other outdoor recreational uses such as baseball and soccer fields.

The deal would also mean an additional $1.3 million in expenses for the city for maintenance and security at the park that some say has suffered from a lack of attention under state control.

The City Council is scheduled to consider the agreement on Wednesday, but Councilman Michael Mack said he will ask that the council put off considering the matter for two weeks so he and his fellow council members can learn more about the proposal, which would ultimately need final approval from the state Legislature.

Mack said he's concerned about the expected cost of operating the park and the expanded potential uses.

"We want to maintain that for passive uses. Leave most of it in its natural form, and maybe allow some camping grounds, but no playing fields or lighted fields," Mack said.

A proposal from a private company to put a zoo at the park was dropped last year after their consultant told them a large zoo wouldn't work without a large public subsidy. At that time there was also a question as to whether the land-use restrictions there would allow a zoo.

Mack said he thinks a zoo would qualify as a passive-use for the land, and as such would be allowed under the current restrictions. But David Morrow, administrator of the Division of State Parks, said a definite answer on whether a zoo would be allowed was never sought because the zoo plan was dropped.

The state-owned 680 acres of the park have a restriction that allows for only passive uses there, which prohibited adding sports fields to that part of the park. The proposed agreement would lift the passive-use restriction on all but the 60 acres that make up the core of the park that is focused around ponds and historic buildings.

The 680 acres is surrounded by 1,050 acres of federally owned land the state leases and would turn over to the city under the proposed agreement. Land use on the federal land, and 620 acres of the state land, would still be limited by what's allowed in the federal Land and Water Conservation Act, Morrow said. The act allows for outdoor recreation only, which means that while playing fields are OK, even an indoor tennis court wouldn't be allowed, he said.

In 1977 the city, with the help of then-state Sen. Floyd Lamb, gave the high-maintenance park that was then called Tule Springs Ranch to the state.

Lamb was later convicted in a bribery scheme but then regained his civil rights. The proposed agreement would prohibit the city from changing the name of the park.

City and state officials have talked for years about the city taking over the park, thinking the city would spend more money on it and so do a better job of maintaining the park that Mack described as a neglected stepchild of the state.

The 2003 Legislature passed a bill authorizing the city and state to negotiate a deal for the park.

Councilman Larry Brown said, "The state has indicated they are having a lot of difficulty keeping up with maintenance of the park. ... The entire area is a special place, and should be preserved and if the city needs to take the lead on it, then let's go."

Under the agreement, the city would take the park for $1 and be responsible for maintenance and security at the park, which could cost $500,000 for maintenance plus $800,000 for security because the city would have to hire additional city marshals for the park, city Director of Administrative Services Chris Knight said.

The state spends about $270,000 a year on maintenance and law enforcement at the park, Morrow said.

"I think there's no question the state has had to work really hard to keep up with all the state parks," Morrow said. "And maybe the city would have more resources to take care of Floyd Lamb, and different standards for its parks."

Morrow wouldn't say whether those standards are necessarily better, but added, "We believe a considerable amount could be done if the funds were available. ... It would appear the city may have the resources to do more at the park."

The park has five full-time employees and four or five seasonal workers. Morrow said if the city took over the park, those employees could go work for the city, if the city decides to hire them, or those employees would be moved to other jobs within the state parks division.

Visitors pay $6 per car to enter the park.

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