West Las Vegas finally getting a grocery store

By Conor Shine

Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2011 | 4:15 p.m.

West Las Vegas will be getting a new grocery store after the City Council agreed to sell a 5-acre plot to a developer Wednesday.

Developer Laurich Properties Inc., led by Hank Gordon, agreed to purchase three retail pads in the city-owned Las Vegas Enterprise Park, located on the southwest corner of West Lake Mead Boulevard and North Martin Luther King Boulevard. The total sale price of the space is about $1.18 million.

One of the pads will be developed into a Dollar General grocery store, which Gordon said will help fill a need in the area.

The plot of land has sat vacant for many years, and Gordon initially targeted it to build a Food4Less store. But when the economy crashed, the retailer backed out, he said.

“Overcoming the image of the Las Vegas economy has made it an uphill battle bringing new retailers here,” Gordon said. “We believe in Las Vegas and we’re putting our money where our mouth is.”

There are no tenants yet for the other two retail pads, but Gordon said he’s in discussions with several companies.

The Dollar General store will offer both grocery items and general merchandise, Gordon said.

The developer must still conduct feasibility studies on the site and the sale won’t be finalized until June. Gordon said he plans to have the store open by mid-2013 at the latest.

The City Council unanimously approved the sale at its Wednesday meeting.

“This place is another example of something great coming into this economy,” Councilman Steve Ross said to Gordon. “I just wanted to say thank you.”