1,200-Room Casino Resort Planned for Las Vegas Project

The Park Highlands master-planned community in North Las Vegas could become the home of a 1,200-room casino resort, now that Boyd Gaming Corp. and Olympia Gaming have submitted an application for city officials’ approval of the mixed-use project.In their application to the City of North Las Vegas, Boyd and Olympia are seeking the rezoning of a parcel within the 2,700-acre Park Highlands development which, in addition to a vast amount of residential offerings, will feature six school sites, police and fire stations, a post office, a library, and 430 acres of parks and trails. Sited on 66 acres off I-215, the joint venture’s project, conceived as the hub of the master-planned community, also calls for a casino, entertainment facilities, restaurants and meeting rooms. Among the activities in the first phase would be the construction of 400 of the 1,200 hotel guestrooms. Development of the remaining segments would take place in the second and third phases. Boyd would be responsible for the construction and management of the casino and resort. The pursuit of approvals is in the initial phase, so Boyd and Olympia anticipate kicking off construction of the project within the next three to five years. Additional details will be configured down the road. “There are no specifics right now, not knowing what will be the latest and greatest in the next three to five years,” a Boyd spokesperson told CPN today. However, if the Highlands project does not attain the requisite green lights, Boyd has an alternate plan. The company owns a 40-acre parcel just two miles from the Highlands site, and it is already zoned to accommodate a gaming facility. But if the Highlands casino gets the thumbs up, Boyd will find a new owner for the 40-acre site. “We would likely sell it with a provision that would preclude development of a casino,” the Boyd spokesperson said. “Given the location, it would likely be a commercial project because it’s right at the center of what will ultimately be a very dense residential area.”Headquartered in Las Vegas, Boyd owns and operates 16 gaming entertainment properties in six states. In Las Vegas, the company is also in the midst of developing the $4.8 billion Echelon destination resort on the Strip. Boyd stock opened today at $19.25. Olympia Gaming, also based in Las Vegas, is a division of the Olympia Group, the developer of the Highlands master-planned community.