Henderson is growing quickly and defining itself as more than just a suburban hub of Las Vegas. The city has designated the neighborhood of West Henderson as a potential “global business district” and an opportunity zone for employment and businesses. And there’s been no shortage of development in recent years.
Construction recently started on a 2.4 million-square-foot machine manufacturing facility from Haas Automation, which is expected to draw more tech to the area. The West Henderson Hospital opens in December. Construction of a recreational facility, West Henderson Field House, will start in 2025. And another casino by Station Casinos is expected in Inspirada, a community west of Anthem.
“We have to recognize that Henderson has a big picture vision for what it wants to be as it continues to grow up, and West Henderson plays a major role,” said Jared Smith, Director of Economic Development for the City of Henderson. “We also know [that] our target industries are matching up well with what West Henderson is growing up to be,” Smith added.
Several major companies have already taken up shop in the area, including Amazon, Levi’s, and Kroger/Smith’s Food and Drug. The city is actively recruiting more commercial businesses to the West Henderson neighborhood, with over 600 acres and 1.5 million square feet of industrial space available.
Rapid expansion and development in Southern Nevada comes with some restrictions. Officials work closely with the Bureau of Land Management to ensure federal environmental standards are met, and Henderson has its own set of requirements for developers and businesses to meet.
“The City of Henderson has our own sustainability standards when it comes to water use, urban heat effect, landscaping, pedestrianism,” said Henderson City Planner Andrew Roether. “We partner with all developers and ensure that they're complying with the environmental impact standards with the federal government,” he said. “And we also have our own stringent requirements that they must meet as they work through our development process.”
The growth of West Henderson and the surrounding neighborhoods, which could stretch the footprint of the Vegas Valley. “We think we have plenty of opportunity to meet the demand that’s there with the land that we have,” Smith said, “but we know thinking long term, that needs to grow.” Clark County and its cities are seeking an extension of boundaries set by the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act, which would provide more public land for development.
The West Henderson Land Use Plan was most recently updated in 2014, and city planners are in the process of updating again based on growth in the area.
“Best-in-class companies want to move and grow within best-in-class cities,” Smith said. “And the way that our city has grown here in Henderson… we're making smart decisions and taking care of our residents and setting a table where people want to live and thrive, and that makes our employers happy.”
Guests: Jared Smith, Director of Economic Development, City of Henderson; Andrew Roether, Planning Manager, City of Henderson
