Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008 | 12:45 p.m.
Like its big brother McCarran International to the north, Henderson Executive Airport may soon see gaming machines in its terminal.
And while the scope would be nowhere near what it is at McCarran, Clark County Aviation officials are hoping that it will provide a boost to business operations at Henderson Executive.
Clark County Aviation has asked Henderson to add restricted gaming to the list of permissible uses within the airport's master plan. Though the Aviation Department runs the airport, it is within Henderson's boundaries, so the city decides land use issues.
The Henderson Planning Commission recommended approval of the request. The City Council is expected to make the final decision Oct. 21.
A restricted gaming license allows a business to have up to 15 gaming machines. Aviation Department officials said the request is on behalf of The Landings at Henderson Executive, a privately owned restaurant that leases space from the Aviation Department and recently opened.
If the zoning change is approved, Aviation Department officials said the restaurant will petition the Nevada Gaming Commission for an restricted license to have between five and eight bar-top poker machines. The zone change would also allow any future restaurants at the airport to seek a restricted gaming license from the state.
"Our hope is that The Landings at Henderson Executive will be a success," Clark County Director of Aviation Randall H. Walker said in a statement. "If the restaurant operator is able to acquire the necessary permits required for gaming, the proposed bar-top machines could be a great addition to the restaurant and will hopefully generate more revenue for the operator and airport."
The Aviation Department has no projections for the revenue that the machines would generate for the county. Department representatives say they don't know what to expect because there has never been any kind of gaming at the airport to use as a basis.
Jeremy Twitchell can be reached at 990-8928 or [email protected].
Join the Discussion:
Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.
Full comments policy