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Down the road, competition for M Resort?
Henderson working to annex 33 acres, zone it for casino-resort
This map from the City of Henderson Public Works Department shows the area the city aims to annex and zone for a casino-resort. Outlined in blue is the existing boundary for the City of Henderson. The red dashed line is the area it wants to annex.
Friday, Aug. 7, 2009 | 1:59 a.m.
Proposed Annexation
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Beyond the Sun
A minority investor in the M Resort has asked the city of Henderson to annex 33 acres across the street from the M Resort and zone it for a future casino-resort — including 10 acres that Clark County has targeted for a possible affordable housing project.
The site is located on the northeast corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and St. Rose Parkway. The land is held by four entities; three are private companies that list Raymond Shapiro, a developer who invested in the M Resort, as managing officer. The fourth landowner is the Bureau of Land Management, which owns the 10 acres that Clark County has eyed for affordable housing.
Shapiro’s portion of the land is zoned for tourist commercial, which allows for casino development. The site is located at the southern end of the Las Vegas Boulevard Gaming Corridor, which allows development of resort casinos without being subject to the distance requirements from homes that are present elsewhere in the valley.
Reached by telephone Wednesday, Shapiro said he couldn’t immediately comment on plans, but that he would respond to questions in writing. A response had not been received as of Thursday evening.
Of the 33 acres, only about 25 are developable because the rest lie in road rights-of-way. Of those 25 acres, Shapiro owns about 16 acres, while the BLM owns about nine.
In order for Henderson to approve the annexation, a majority of landowners within the target area must approve it. In a memo to the city dated April 23, BLM Field Manager Robert B. Ross Jr. wrote that the BLM would not oppose the annexation, but he asked Henderson to work with the county to coordinate the affordable housing issue.
Since 1998, the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act has allowed for local municipalities to acquire BLM land for affordable housing development, built either by the municipality or a private partner.
Years of debate over the regulations and proper management of the program between the BLM and local municipalities, however, has mired the process and only two projects have been completed thus far.
Clark County spokesman Erik Pappa said the county had no issue with Henderson trying to annex and rezone the land. The county would still have a large inventory of land for affordable housing projects, he said.
“There are more affordable housing properties out there than affordable housing projects,” Pappa said. “By us losing this parcel, it doesn’t mean that we’re going to build one less affordable housing project.”
The annexation was on the Henderson City Council’s agenda Tuesday, but was withdrawn at the request of city staff.
City spokeswoman Kathy Blaha said the City Attorney’s office requested that the item be withdrawn because it was still working on the legal agreement for the annexation.
She said she didn’t know the status of any negotiation with Clark County regarding the affordable housing site.
“We will inherit that (affordable housing) zoning when we inherit the land,” Blaha said. “We don’t have any plans for that parcel right now; we’ll decide what to do when we have that land and the annexation is complete.”
A map within the city’s backup documentation for the pulled agenda item shows all 33 acres with a proposed tourist commercial zone.
Anthony Marnell III, who built the M Resort, is listed as a managing officer in one of Shapiro’s three companies that own land with the 33-acre site. Marnell said he is a minority investor in the land, and while he is aware of Shapiro’s efforts to move the land into Henderson and develop it, he said he is not directly involved in the process.
“I don’t have any objection to it,” Marnell said. “I think it would be good for (Shapiro) and good for the city.”
Marnell likened the prospect of a future resort casino near the M to the relationship that developed between off-Strip properties the Gold Coast Casino, the Rio — which his father built — and the Palms.
“Every one of those casinos, aside from the current downturn we’re in, have been thriving, healthy casinos,” he said.
Marnell said he thinks it would be a bad idea to try to build a casino on the proposed annexation site in the near future, but with credit markets still tight, said he’s not worried about that possibility. Further down the road, he said, he would welcome another casino to his neighborhood.
“Over the long term, I’ve always had the opinion that competition is good and that multiple casinos bring synergy,” Marnell said. “… While we do enjoy being the only casino within a certain radius, over the long term, we’re going to want something that draws more people down here.”
CORRECTION: This story was updated to more accurately reflect the number of affordable housing projects that have been completed in Clark County. | (August 7, 2009)
Discussion: 24 comments so far…
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The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Right. Marnell would welcome a new resort.
But only if he owned it.
Just what the area needs: another casino.
Try zoning the land for something other than a gaming entity. Maybe THEN some of those California companies the State is trying to woo would relocate here -- and bring some decent jobs to the region.
Every speck of land available is either for some strip mall or a casino.
Yeah, how about a school? Or a transit stop? Or affordable housing? Or a park? Las Vegans can not live by gaming alone.
god...
we just don't learn our lessons.
I think it's a good idea. Will gill Marnell more competition. His slots are as tight as my a--!!!!!!!!!
Why don't you put the affordable housing in YOUR neighborhood! I would rather have a casino that brings in money than affordable housing that will look like a getto in five years.. what do you want, a casino that brings jobs or affordable housing where no one works..
Another casino in a vastly oversupplied market. Great idea. But what you really need to make that project pop is a 75-story luxury condo tower.
Only in Las Vegas do people think like this! The intellect is interesting and colorful at best.
we have affordable housing in my neighborhood. It's called 1-2, family homes.
Las Vegas has thousands of affordable homes for sale right now called short sales and repos..... lets address these issues before we worry about setting land aside to build more problems to address in future years.
i love how the guy a few spots above me thinks another casino in this town is a good idea because amazingly, he doesn't win much at the other ones.
we're going to take one of the few large plots of land we have left in town and instead of diversifying by letting a factory, warehouse,...SOMETHING other than gambling come in, we're going to have yet ANOTHER casino?
stupid. just stupid.
What it really needs to make the project pop is another Cirque show and some more Wolfgang Puck restaurants, because 100 of each in the city isn't enough. MORE MORE MORE!!!
We should not be happy until every person in Las Vegas lives within 1,000 feet of a casino.
I sometimes think the people who respond to these articles have no business sense, have never employed anyone, have never created one single taxpaying job, yet they seem to have all the answers and any entrepreneur who wants to build a casino and create jobs is stupid.
Here is an easy answer.....if you know better, then buy the land and do waht you want with it....if not, shut up please.
I believe in the long-run it will be a good business decision. Sometimes you have to look years past the current situation and think outside the box. I'm more than certain years down the road they will look back and say remember when people were crying that we were crazy! Haha
From all of the other articles regarding housing, It appears to be getting more affrodable every day. Existing housing is probably more "affordable" than any new construction. It is a risky location for a casino. To really have success on the Strip, you have to be between the airport and Sahara Ave. And most of them aren't doing too well either. But like another post (right above this one) mentioned, start the process now, so when they come on line, they will be the newest property in a revived market. On the other hand, Mr. Ruffin is really smart, sell an old run down property at the top of the market, then buy up a premium property at a fire sale price a couple years later.
Noindex sez"if you know better, then buy the land and do waht you want with it....if not, shut up please."
That wouldn't be hard seeing as this site is listed for sale and has been for years. This is just further posturing for a land flip.
The economy will bounce back. Government spending created many jobs in the Great Depression, Hoover Dam for example. Some paint that as socialism, others as a wise public investment -- found a cool site; Balkingpoints ; incredible satellite view of earth
I sometimes think the people who respond to these articles have no business sense, have never employed anyone, have never created one single taxpaying job, yet they seem to have all the answers and any entrepreneur who wants to build a casino and create jobs is stupid
**************
Ah, but that is where YOU are wrong. Have you read the papers lately? Do you know how many people have been layed off from THE EXISTING CASINOS we NOW HAVE? Do you realize gaming numbers are down because no one has any discretionary money to gamble with? Yeah, open ANOTHER casino so 2000 new jobs will be created and 6 months later, only 800 jobs will remain and 1200 will be unemployed...AGAIN. we will never break the cycle of high unemployment here if we keep relying on gaming for employment here. Times have changed and Vegas will never be the same. Get with the program - no more casinos!
Katie... Please move back to California...
[sarcasm]What Vegas could use is a few more happy people like you!!![/sarcasm]
right on nightmare
Katie,
Not to worry, I'm bringing my previusly discussed $40 gambling fund to Vegas. Of course, with any luck, I will not lose it to the casino, but instead get a little of their money. Regardless, If that happens, it will just increase our shopping budget. Have about 1000 to spend, I just choose to leave it at places other than gaming floors. This Californian is working hard to do his part to support the L.V. economy.
The M is a ghost town, They should cap casinos. If you want to build a new one, you have to buy an old one and demolish it.
Actually mred, that's not a bad idea!!
well, noindex...
given the fact our unemployment rate is one of the highest in the nation, we have some of the highest car insurance rates, auto theft rates, one of the lowest states in terms of high school and college graduates, i would say that building yet ANOTHER "job creation machine" that will only contribute to the things i have just listed is a bad idea.
there are infinite technology jobs, solar energy jobs, etc. that would be a smarter use for that land.
we're going to get to the point were even if someone DID want to put in a few hundred high paying jobs in vegas, they'd have to build the office or factory in kingman, arizona.