Casino projects the high-rollers at City Council

Casino, restaurants, retail, residential units approved at Northgate

Casinos were the high-rollers in the Jan. 16 North Las Vegas City Council meeting.

After comments from a concerned North Las Vegas resident regarding security and the lack of a viable wall separating homes from an open arroyo in the Springdale neighborhood of Aliante, the evening was flush with development -- and rumors of development. The council unanimously carried the motion to approve Ordinance 2419, brought by Diamond Lamb, LLC, amending the classification of 118 acres in the Northgate area along Lamb Boulevard and Elkhorn Road from a general industrial district to a mixed-use development district/regional center. This would allow a casino, restaurants, retail and as many as 800 residential units. The project satisfied the requirements of being 500 or more feet away from existing homes and more than 1,500 feet away from schools or houses of worship.

The Northgate project was not the only casino project in town. An application by Speedway Hospitality Development, LLC, to allow a gaming enterprise district on property located east of Shatz Street and north of Centennial Parkway also was approved.

Station Casinos' Aliante Station was dealt the best hand, with a motion carried to amend earlier proposals for signage along the northeast corner of Aliante Parkway and the Las Vegas Beltway. In light of what representatives from the casino termed a significant upgrade from a $450 million dollar project to a high-end property of some $675 million, along the design and entertainment lines of Red Rock Resort, the company asked that a 25-foot sign be allowed on Elkhorn Road and Aliante Parkway, a 106-foot pylon sign be allowed facing the Beltway, and one 50-foot sign be constructed at 80 feet. Though the motion to amend the signage was carried, it was not unanimous as council members Shari Buck and Stephanie Smith raised objections to the 106-foot signage, as well as the increase from 50 feet to 80 feet. Both were of similar minds also in asking that the 25-foot sign at Elkhorn Road and Aliante Parkway consist of monument design modeled after Sunset Station signage.

In a windfall for victim advocacy services, a grant award in the amount of $50,000 was accepted by the council.

The grant comes from the Nevada Office of the Attorney General and requires a cash match of $34,000 to provide such services through the North Las Vegas Police Department.

Council drew to a close with the adoption of the proposed 2009-2012 Capital Improvement Plan presented by City Manager Gregory Rose. Highlights of the CIP in an amount totaling a little more than $1 billion include:

* Community development projects in the amount of $3.3 million for programs, such as city entryway, commercial rehabilitation, neighborhood beautification and property acquisition in the redevelopment area.

* Public safety in the amount of $94.9 million allocated to projects benefiting the fire and police programs.

* Parks and recreation, identified as a high priority and the third-largest capital program in the CIP, behind transportation and utilities, will be allocated $201.6 million.

* The library district under the CIP slated for $11.4 million for the building of the new library at Alexander Road and Martin Luther King Boulevard, funded primarily through a General Obligation Bond, with $1.7 million for the adjoining park funded by the tax override and Park District Fund.

A motion was carried to award the bid by Burke & Associates Inc. to begin construction on the Alexander Library and Park Project. The bid in the amount of $7,791,199 was approved in what Mayor Michael Montandon proudly declared, "a big step for everybody."