From Las Vegas Review-Journal
Las Vegas has big plans for ‘fast-growing’ Kyle Canyon area
Story by Patrick Blennerhassett, Las Vegas Review-Journal
There are big plans for the northwestern portion of the Las Vegas Valley over the next quarter century, including thousands of new homes and a major resort-casino by Station Casinos.
And now the city of Las Vegas is asking for residents’ input on how the master-planned community of Kyle Canyon should be developed. The city released a detailed draft plan in December which looks to guide future development as the community could add roughly 14,500 new housing units over 411 acres over the next 25 years.
The Kyle Canyon area has about 13,291 residents and 3,894 single-family houses and is expected to have 47,063 residents and more than 10,000 new total housing units by 2050. The city’s plan also includes nearly 640,000 square feet of new commercial square footage.
“Much of Kyle Canyon will see the eventual build out of medium-low density suburbs currently under development agreements utilizing traditional neighborhood development,” the plan states. “New shopping centers will continue to be constructed at major interchanges and have potential to become neighborhood mixed-use centers, especially at the Kyle Canyon and Skye Canyon Park interchanges.”
Elysian at Skye Canyon are new luxury apartments amongst other planned developments in the area on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images© L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal/TNS
The city said Kyle Canyon’s growth will center around housing and mixed-use developments while looking to develop the community as a hub for both working and living.
“Small-scale commercial centers will be constructed at the Kyle Canyon and Skye Canyon Park interchanges, but major jobs and commercial activity are needed in order to reduce commuting and provide shared coworking space,” the city’s plan reads. “At least one new major resort-casino will be constructed as part of Skye Canyon’s Gaming Enterprise District.”
It’s unclear when Station Casinos will build a casino-hotel in Kyle Canyon. A spokesperson said there’s no update on the project.
Challenges to development
In its draft plan for developing Kyle Canyon, the city admits there are significant challenges to building out the area of the valley which spans a wide array of industries.
“Kyle Canyon severely lacks public schools of all forms,” the plan states. “New schools will be constructed over time and several will be under construction near-term to alleviate school overcrowding.
More homes and other development are on the way like here on W. Eagle Canyon Avenue about Skye Canyon on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images© L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal/TNS
“Kyle Canyonlacks major city and regional facilities; those may be required as population thresholds are met,” the plan states. “While some private services are currently, or will be, provided, the low-density environment of the district highlights a need for a greater presence of city services and community resources.”
More retail and residential development as those about Skye Canyon Park are planned for Skye Canyon on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images© L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal/TNS
In a video released by the city, Councilwoman Nancy Brune, who represents Ward 6 including Kyle Canyon, said accessing land from the federal government will be key to growing the area. Real estate stakeholders on both the commercial and residential side who spoke to the Las Vegas Review-Journal said the BLM remains the biggest roadblock to development in the area as they control approximately 88 percent of Clark County.
“As many people know, the Bureau of Land Management owns a lot of public land all around the city and we have quite a bit up in wards four and six,” Brune said.
In a press release for the final master plan, the city acknowledged there are also challenges regarding basic infrastructure needs that need to be created to accommodate the growth.
“The fast-growing Kyle Canyon area is near the Spring Mountains and Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument,” reads the release. “It contains undeveloped land that will require significant public infrastructure and public service upgrades, including street improvements, new water service, fire and public safety and a new northwestern regional park.
A recent Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development study estimates that by 2030 Nevada will face a severe land shortage that will hamper economic development across a wide array of industries as Clark County is adding approximately 115 residents a day to its population. Clark County should break 3 million residents sometime before 2050, and by 2080 the population is expected to be somewhere around 3.4 million.
Property along N. Grand Canyon Drive is intended for a new hotel/casino resort as development continues about Skye Canyon on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images© L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal/TNS
The City Council could vote on the plan for Kyle Canyon at its regular meeting in February. For more information, visit the city’s master plan website or email masterplan@lasvegasnevada.gov.
Property along Kyle Canyon Road is intended for a new hotel/casino resort as development continues about Skye Canyon on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Las Vegas. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images© L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal/TNS
Contact Patrick Blennerhassett at pblennerhassett@reviewjournal.com.
©2025 Las Vegas Review-Journal. Visit reviewjournal.com.. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
2. New housing project proposed on Badlands golf course clears hurdle
Story by Ricardo Torres-Cortez, Las Vegas Review-Journal
A home construction company set to purchase the defunct Badlands golf course on Tuesday night presented its vision to the city of Las Vegas to develop 1,480 upscale residential homes on the 250 acres of land.
Las Vegas’ Planning Commission then unanimously approved land-use entitlements, an early step that pushes forward Lennar Homes’ proposal.
The meeting was attended by a large crowd of neighboring residents who spoke against the project, at least as it’s proposed, during a lengthy public comment period.
Concerns cited by the residents were the project’s size, overcrowded schools in the area, views, traffic and the manner in which the applications were filed.
The Planning Commission provides direction to the City Council on the city’s master plan and zoning.
The proposal next moves to the seven-member council.
Badlands owner supports project
The land, in the west Las Vegas Valley near Alta Drive and South Rampart Boulevard, is currently owned by EHB Cos., but it’s slated to switch hands as part of a tentative settlement expected to cost the city of Las Vegas $636 million.
The city and EHB have been embroiled in an eight-year legal battle.
Multiple judges, including the Nevada Supreme Court, have sided with the company and its CEO, prominent Las Vegas developer Yohan Lowie.
Four lawsuits alleged that the city essentially “took” the land by not allowing Lowie to build an expansive housing project after he bought the golf course in 2015.
Under the agreement, the city would sell the land to Lennar for $350 million and pay EHB $286 million to settle three ongoing lawsuits, $1 million more than courts have already awarded.
The city last year paid $64 million to resolve the fourth lawsuit.
On Tuesday, attorney Jim Leavitt, who represents EHB, endorsed Lennar’s project.
“We strongly support Lennar’s application,” Leavitt said.
Leavitt said that “perhaps for the first time in the past eight years of litigation,” EHB agrees with the city staff’s recommendation to approve the project.
EHB signed Lennar’s land entitlements applications.
Tuesday’s agenda items include a list of 25 conditions Lennar has to meet set by the departments of planning and public works, and the fire department.
‘It will tie together’
Attorney Stephanie Gronauer, who represents Lennar, showcased conceptual renderings of what the homes could look like.
She addressed concerns she said Queensridge neighborhood residents brought up last week during a private meeting.
Those residents, who live adjacent to the golf course, had also opposed Lowie’s plans.
Gronauer noted that Lennar was only building half the homes allowed under the land’s zoning.
She said Lennar would attempt to blend the new homes to the Queensridge aesthetic while maintaining separation.
“It will tie together and they will live together as if you don’t know the difference,” she said. “But they will be two separate communities.”
Lennar will pay for studies to affirm the project’s feasibility, Gronauer said.
Planning Commissioner Trinity Schlottman said that Lennar “didn’t max us out” with the number of homes they could’ve proposed building.
“(That) shows me that they’re not out just trying to maximize profits on this particular property and they’re trying to bring something that will fit overall with the existing community,” Schlottman said.
Gronauer said Lennar would begin construction on the golf course as soon as it’s allowed.
“A lot of sensitivity went into this plan,” she said.
Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.
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