89°F
weather icon Clear

Land sales to fund improvements to dam visitors center

The Hoover Dam visitors center is getting a makeover after the Bureau of Land Management awarded $75 million dollars to 30 different Nevada conservation and recreation projects on Dec. 7.

Hoover Dam received more than $2.7 million for renovations and the creation of new exhibits at the visitors center.

Stacy Wade, director of finance for the Bureau of Reclamation Lower Colorado Region, said that they can use the BLM funds by early January and that “the money will be targeted for updating displays and exhibits at the Hoover Dam Visitors Center.”

According to a press release by the BLM, the funding is for “theater level refurbishment,” and is part of the bureau’s capital improvement plan.

Bill Martin, head of recreation for the Bureau of Reclamation, confirmed that some of the money for visitors center improvements will go toward new seating in the theater and that the rest of the money will go to exhibit improvements.

“I am excited to be back in my home state to announce funding for these important community projects,” wrote Neil Kornze of Elko, a BLM director. “These investments will strengthen outdoor opportunities in the Las Vegas Valley and in many of Nevada’s small towns.

Funding for the dam’s renovations was generated through the sale of public land as part of the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act, which allows the BLM to sell property around the Las Vegas area with proceeds split between the Nevada general education fund, the Southern Nevada Water Authority and a special account for the Secretary of Interior, which is where the money for the conservation projects came from.

According to Jeanette “Rose” Davis, a public information officer for the Bureau of Reclamation Lower Colorado Region, a definitive date for when the visitors center renovations will be completed is still a long way off.

“We are incredibly excited to get the funding,” Davis said. “But right now we have no idea when the renovations and the new exhibits will be completed. We are still trying to figure out what new exhibits are and fixes we want to make.”

Contact reporter Max Lancaster at mlancaster@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow him on Twitter @MLancasterBCR.

MOST READ
LISTEN TO THE TOP FIVE HERE
THE LATEST
Huge crowd turns out to honor Patton

It was brought up during Saturday’s unveiling of the Shane Patton Memorial Monument as to why Shane’s statue stands 11 feet tall.

Disaster in China affects Damboree fireworks show

As the city prepares for Damboree, one of our biggest celebrations of the year, a tragedy in China is having an impact on the annual fireworks show.

City Celebrates First Responders

Photos courtesy City of Boulder City

Toll Brothers gets split decision

The development of the area near Boulder Creek Golf Course known as Tract 350 (the sale of which is slated to pay for the majority of the planned replacement for the aging municipal pool) may have hit a snag last week as the planning commission voted 5-1 to deny the developers’ request to build houses closer to the street than is allowed under current law.

Council gives nod to 185 new hangars

There is at least one part of Boulder City that is set to see growth in the coming years. A lot of growth.

Boulder City ready to celebrate America

Boulder City resident James Cracolici may have put it best when he called the annual July 4 Damboree, “The crown jewel of all events held in Boulder City.”

BC can ban backyard breeders

Although there is nothing on any city agenda yet, the resolution of the issue of whether pet breeding will be allowed in Boulder City took a huge step forward last week as Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford released an official opinion on the intent and limitations of state law that had been requested by city staff last year.