Mesquite courts major recreation facility

By Richard N. Velotta

Friday, Feb. 20, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Mesquite, already considered one of the Southwest’s top golf destinations, hopes to capitalize on the popularity of recreational team sports and the city’s favorable climate by building a 920-acre sports complex it hopes will become the premier amateur recreation facility in the country.

Mesquite Mayor Susan Holecheck, a member of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, told board members the town has cemented an agreement with Utah-based Desert Falls International Sports Resorts Developers for the $500 million project, which has the financial backing of former National Basketball Association player A.C. Green.

The first phase would include 24 soccer fields, including a stadium field; 20 softball diamonds; 16 tennis courts, including a stadium court; and 12 sand volleyball courts. Developers hope to begin hosting tournaments by 2010.

The announcement comes at a time when Mesquite is suffering double-digit percentage declines in visitor volume and the temporary closing of one of its hotels. In 2008 Mesquite visitor volume dipped 10.5 percent to 1.5 million people, and in December the Oasis closed its doors, throwing 500 people out of work.

Local tourism experts say the plan could have some benefits for Las Vegas since the scope of the project is likely to attract more participants than Mesquite has rooms to accommodate. In addition, many Mesquite visitors who attend golf, softball and soccer events spend at least a day in Las Vegas.

“Amateur athletics is one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States,” said Mesquite City Manager Tim Hacker, who helped bring Desert Falls to Southern Nevada. “People are enjoying healthier lifestyles more than ever, and they want to continue to compete in sports like softball.”

Hacker said Desert Falls almost committed to building its facility in Utah. Organizers were about to sign a deal to build in Hurricane, just north of St. George, and inquired in late December about locating some of its early tournaments in Mesquite. When Mesquite officials learned about the scope of the project, they encouraged Desert Falls to have a look at their town. Ultimately, Mesquite offered a better deal to Desert Falls than Hurricane.

Hacker said the developers were unaware of how much acreage Mesquite had available.

Under terms of the deal, which was expected to be completed at a Feb. 18 City Council meeting, Mesquite is going to make 920 acres formerly planned for the development of more than 4,000 homes available to the company. The town plans to offer 820 acres as part of the recreation resort component for $5,000 an acre and 100 acres targeted for commercial development and for 495 dwelling units for $25,000 an acre for a total price tag of $6.6 million. The council plans to have the land rezoned by May so that Desert Falls can begin developing a financing package.

The developers are considering several financing options including so-called sales tax anticipated revenue bonds, a bond mechanism that has been used in tourism development districts in Northern Nevada.

Desert Falls and town officials have high hopes for the proposed sports complex, which would be built north and west of the Mesquite Technology Center and south of Sun City Mesquite. Although the early objective is to bring events to Mesquite next year, the entire complex would be a massive undertaking that could take more than five years to complete.

Here’s what’s part of the long-range plans:

• A softball complex with four five-plex diamonds, including concession stands, restrooms, scoreboards, announcers’ booths and child-care facilities. The softball area would include a 15,000-seat stadium with natural turf, a softball hall of fame and sports memorabilia center.

• A 24-field soccer complex and an 400- to 500-seat stadium with an adjacent park area and pavilions.

• Twelve beach volleyball courts and a main beach volleyball stadium with 300 to 400 seats.

• A 16-court tennis complex plus a 300- to 400-seat stadium and a pickleball court.

• A 3,000- to 5,000-seat outdoor football stadium with separate track and field area featuring long jump, high jump and shot put and discus throw rings.

• An artificial-turf indoor football and soccer stadium that could be used for lacrosse, with 5,000- to 10,000 seats. A water park with a “lazy river” would be attached to the stadium.

• An archery range for all skill levels that would accommodate bow hunting ranges, a beginner’s range and concessions.

• A golf course with 495 residential units including condominiums, town houses and single-family homes.

• An open-air mall with sports-branded shops, a food court and a variety of commercial and retail outlets.

• An adidas-branded facility to include offices; training facilities; two Olympic-size swimming pools and diving platforms; a private workout center; basketball, volleyball and racquetball courts; an indoor track; a therapy center with spas, saunas and massage facilities; a sports medicine center; and a nutrition center.

• A nongaming hotel and athlete village.

“This is envisioned as an amateur facility with professional use in mind,” Hacker said. “It’s definitely a clean industry. What better way is there than to bring athletes and their families to our community?”

In addition to the facility being a “clean” industry, the use of artificial turf is expected to result in less water use than the residential area initially envisioned.

Hacker said he was also excited to have the project associated with Green, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat and holds the record for most consecutive games played in the NBA from 1986 to 2001.

“It was really great for us to have A.C. Green in our council chambers,” said Hacker, who said the basketball star’s moral code would be admired by residents of Mesquite.

Green is deeply religious and currently operates youth camps through the A.C. Green Youth Foundation, which promotes abstinence until marriage.