Defense Bill Could Expand UNLV But Money To Build Could Be A Hurdle

A defense bill that must pass Congress before it adjourns for the holiday break could give UNLV a whole new campus area on the city’s northwest side.
U.S. senators Harry Reid and Dean Heller added legislation to the bill which would set aside almost 1,900 acres near Nellis Air Force Base as a second UNLV campus, according to a story in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Rep. Steven Horsford, D – NV has pitched the idea of having the land be used for the university’s medical school.
Horsford believes the idea would be a chance to fill a need in southern Nevada.
“We can finally build a true public-private partnership for medical training at every level not just for medical doctors but for nurses, and for every other form of medical training that is needed,” he said.
However, even if UNLV gets the land, it currently does not have the money to build a new campus. It would have to get approval from the State Legislature to build anything and a medical school would cost an estimated $30 million.
“It is time that the legislature working with the governor make that investment and commitment for southern Nevada’s future,” Horsford said.
Horsford believes the plan should be an option when higher education leaders and UNLV talk about an expansion. He said the land’s close proximity to the new Veterans Affairs hospital in North Las Vegas would allow it to partner with the hospital for training. 
Guest:
Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nevada
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