It’s no secret that southern Nevada was hard hit by the recession.
But North Las Vegas seems to have been hit harder, and found it more difficult to recover, than everyone else.
From 2000 to 2010, Nevada’s third largest city nearly doubled its population. A massive housing development, Aliante, was expected to fill city coffers with property tax revenues even as the boom demanded more government services.
So the city planned and built a $135-million city hall; and a $300-million water treatment plant.
But the recession brought the city to near-bankruptcy. In 2011, state officials began talks of taking over the city's finances, which would be a first for Nevada. Those talks seemed to have fizzled out, for now. But there still hasn't been any significant development.
Gina Gavan is the director of business development at the City of North Las Vegas. She says there are a lot of exciting things going on in the city right now.
“North Las Vegas has a great opportunity for industrial. It has always been a leader in industrial,” Gavan said.
She also told KNPR’s State of Nevada that residential development planned for an area near the newly designated Tule Springs National Monument will include upscale homes, which will bring a new demographic to the city.
She also said development at the industrial area known as Apex is a huge priority for the city.
“The growth will come but we’re not going to get the growth unless we’re innovative and creative in how we’re solving problems,” Gavan said.
One of the people tasked with making the vision of Apex come to life is Dave Brown, the president of Land Development Associates.
He said the industrial park is a priority for North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee, but he does admit that it is a “big ship to turn around.”
Brown pointed to a bill that was passed by the Legislature that will clear the way for a water pipeline to be built to Apex as one of the most important developments for the city.
“It’s huge for Apex. It’s groundbreaking. It’s probably the largest piece of economic development legislation that has ever happened in southern Nevada,” Brown said.
He dismissed the idea that lack of infrastructure has held back the property.
“We will have all the infrastructure real businesses need to succeed in North Las Vegas,” Brown said.
He believes announcements about companies setting up shop at the park will come within the next few months. There are already 15 medical marijuana growing operations slated to be built there.
Brown said that with new companies, new tax revenue will start flowing into the city.
However, Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins, who lives in North Las Vegas and represents that part of the valley on the commission, points to several current and former problems at the city that are still holding it back, especially safety.
“North Las Vegas is unsafe. There ain’t enough dog catchers. There ain’t enough fire people. There ain’t enough cops,” the commissioner said.
He said headlines about fights at the relatively new Craig Ranch Park and shootings in North Las Vegas neighborhoods do not help efforts to improve the city’s image.
“They’ve got to change that by hiring more cops,” Collins said. “Businesses are going to build in a safe community so until North Las Vegas becomes a safe community you’re not going to get those better businesses.”
Brown and Gavan agree that big business is needed to improve the city and the rest of Southern Nevada.
“These large businesses that we’re after, the Tesla’s of the world,” Brown continued, “those types of businesses is what we need to make Southern Nevada not just North Las Vegas but southern Nevada successful.”
Brown believes that in a few short years, everyone will be asking how North Las Vegas was able to do so well.
“Everybody is pushing North Las Vegas. It’s a new day. We’ve got new leadership,” Brown said.
Gavan admitted that there is work to be done in the community, particularly in establishing a sense of place but she believes progress is being made.
“The budget is balanced. We’re making headway,” Gavan said, “It takes one person to start something but it takes all of us to finish it.”
Tom Collins, Clark County Commissioner;
Gina Gavan, director of business development, City of North Las Vegas;
Dave Brown, president, Land Development Associates, LLC