Adventure Center set for fall opening

Think of it as one-stop shopping for outdoor enthusiasts.

Last fall, ground was broken on the long-talked-about Nevada Adventure Center on the Boulder City Chamber of Commerce property.

The center, which is set to be open Oct. 7, will be home to more than a dozen outdoor tour companies in one location. These outdoor companies, mostly from Boulder City, but at least two from Las Vegas, will lease the spaces, one year each to start. A percentage of that rental fee will be put into a pot for advertising, of which each vendor will have a say on how and where it’s spent. In all, the new Boulder City center will employ 29 people. In addition, the center will be collaborating with a bus service that will pick up and return those staying at certain Las Vegas resorts for a nominal fee.

While the specific names of those center tenants have not yet been released, it will include those who cater to locals and visitors who look at Nevada as more than a place for big-name entertainment shows on the Strip or blackjack tables and slot machines. These will include e-bike rentals, helicopter tours and day trips associated with Lake Mead and Lake Mohave.

In 2024, according to state figures, nearly $1.8 billion was spent in the Silver State on outdoor recreation.

The centers, which includes one being built in Carson City, are a collaborative effort between the state, federal government and local entities like the Boulder City Chamber of Commerce. The two centers carry a combined price tag of $7 million.

Last week, Chamber CEO Jill Rowland-Lagan, Travel Nevada CEO Rafael Villanueva and Boulder City Adventure Center Director Russ Beutler, gave a tour of the new center.

“We want to make sure we get people here and get people not to just stop by but to take a tour, to spend hours in Boulder City and the surrounding area,” Villanueva said. “We can’t wait. It’s going to be really cool.”

Rowland-Lagan said that they’re hoping these centers can eventually be replicated in other rural areas throughout the state that are seeing an increase in outdoor recreational tourism, such as Elko.

“We’re not trying to take away from the Vegas experience - we’re trying to amplify and intensify it by having them find more things here in Southern Nevada to fall in love with,” she said.

Villanueva said the idea is for the vendors to not compete with one another but rather complement one another. Meaning, if someone books a tour with one company, they may see others at the center that they would like to take later during that visit or on a future return to Southern Nevada.

“In a perfect world, we’d love to have it where at least 80% of the tours on a daily basis are sold before they get here,” Villanueva said.

Rowland-Lagan said she’s met with those looking to lease space and received nothing but positive feedback from all of them. And they have been made aware that there may be a similar vendor just feet from their booth.

“They love the idea and many have gotten to the front and said it’s bigger than they thought,” she said. “We let free enterprise take over, so first-come, first-serve is how we approached it.”

During last September’s groundbreaking, Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony was on hand and following the ceremony shared his thoughts on the center and the importance of outdoor tourism in the state.

“As Nevada’s lieutenant governor, I’m responsible for promoting tourism and outdoor recreation,” he said. “This is another way I can help tourists and I can help residents enjoy recreational activities here in Southern Nevada and up in Northern Nevada.”

Anthony added he’s happy to see that Nevada is no longer simply known for gambling and thanks to outdoor recreation, it’s been able to diversify.

“When people think of Nevada and tourism, they think of Las Vegas and Reno,” he said. “They really don’t think of the outdoor recreational activities that we have here. We have some phenomenal places to visit when it comes to outdoor recreation. We’re expanding our tourism footprint here in Nevada but we have to be in a position where tourists know where to go. But with these tourist centers, they’ll know exactly where to go, exactly what kind of equipment you’ll need and how to do it safely.”