Las Vegas Authority Buys Acreage for CC Revamp
LVCVA pays more than $10 million for 1.5 acres near convention center
By Heidi Genoist -- Tradeshow Week, 1/9/2006
Las Vegas—The Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority board has approved the purchase of a small parcel of land next to the Las Vegas Convention Center, saying it fit into plans to revamp the facility.
The LVCVA last month paid San Diego-based Craig Rubin of Rubin & Associates $10.9 million for the 1.5-acre parcel at 454 Sierra Vista Drive. The land, directly south of the LVCC's South Hall and east of Marriott's Renaissance Las Vegas hotel, is occupied by the 76-unit Sierra Madre apartment complex, which will be razed, LVCVA officials said.
The authority last year began the process of renovating the 50-year-old convention center. With nearly 2 million square feet of exhibit space, the LVCC is the country's third-largest convention center. However, a lengthy study — including independent research and focus groups around the nation — concluded that shortcomings in meeting space, circulation and comfort threaten the facility's long-term viability.
Michael Musgrave, the project manager developing the renovation's master plan, said additional land was needed for parking, ingress, egress or other uses. "We cannot allow ourselves to be landlocked, and this is an opportunity to meet our customers' needs," he said.
The LVCC is surrounded by private property, with the Las Vegas Hilton adjoining it to the north, the Las Vegas Country Club across Joe W. Brown Drive to the east, several apartment complexes like Sierra Madre to the south, and several hotels and restaurants across Paradise Boulevard to the west. (The LVCC's Gold parking lot, also on the west side of Paradise, is bordered by occupied private property as well.)
Jim Gans, LVCVA senior vice president of operations, said the newly acquired land adjoins a parcel that the LVCVA already owned, and is added to a recently purchased plot at the corner of Swenson Avenue and Sierra Vista Drive, where the Bingo Apartments now stand.
Musgrave said the property most likely would be used to improve the LVCC's southern entrance, without disrupting the center's valuable outdoor exhibit space.
"This not only improves the attendee experience, which is our goal, but also improves traffic flow," he noted.
The planning committee has proposed a master plan to the LVCVA board, which will vote on its approval in February.
The authority is not planning any other imminent land acquisitions, Gans said.
