RV resort plan founders
In a 3-2 vote, the City Council declined Tuesday, Feb. 28, to move forward with direct negotiations with the developer for a proposed luxury recreational vehicle resort on 76 acres of land sandwiched between the airport and Boulder Creek Golf Club.
The action would have triggered a vote to direct city staff to issue a request for proposal that would allow other developers to make proposals for a similar business on the same land. Instead, the council, after extended discussion, voted unanimously to table the RFP motion and a related appraisal, essentially taking no action on the proposed development.
The process of potential development of that land started in April 2022. Top Dollar Entertainment, headed by Gary Baldwin, a 20-year Boulder City resident who has developed attractions on the Las Vegas Strip, proposed creating the Elite RV park aimed at a high-end market. At the meeting Baldwin described the potential clientele as being people who own RVs that cost as much as $500,000 and described a facility that would feature a spa and salon, meeting rooms and a small convention space that could accommodate up to 250 people for various events. Baldwin also noted that the proposed facility would cater largely to out-of-town visitors interested in Boulder City’s golf courses.
The council was divided, with Mayor Joe Hardy and council member Matt Fox supporting the direct lease proposal. Council member Steve Walton expressed the greatest reservation about the project saying that he “loves the idea but does not love the location.” Walton and council member Sherri Jorgensen expressed concern that the development could block sight lines.
While the council had already voted to support an RV park in that area, Walton was vocal in his preference that the land be used to add additional hangar space to the airport. Hardy countered that there was no current proposal in place or expressed interest on the part of anyone to build hangars there. Walton said there is a waiting list for hangar space and said he was “reasonably certain” that hangars could be developed within five years.
Council member Cokie Booth eventually joined with Walton and Jorgensen after initially saying she had entered the process later than other members and was willing to go along with the majority. With other council members split, her vote was essentially the tiebreaker.
Contact reporter Bill Evans at wevans@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401.
In other actions, council,
▶ Heard from the Boulder City Museum and Historical Association about activities during the past year. More than 85,000 people visited in 2022, a 15 percent increase over the previous year.
▶ Agreed to the first payment from the Residential Historic Preservation Fund to reimburse $10,000 for the replacement of windows at 504 Ash St.
▶ Adopted a report by city staff on the potential annexation of approximately 2,555 acres of Bureau of Land Management land in the Eldorado Valley. The report outlined potential impact on city services. Adoption of the report is the next required step in the annexation process. Staff noted that most of the land will remain BLM owned and will not impact city services. A public hearing is scheduled for the March 28 council meeting.
▶ Voted to amend Title 11 of the city code to extend the time limit between approval and construction for building permits and zoning variances from the current six months to two years.
▶ Directed city staff to re-engage with SCA Designs to get updated cost estimates for either the rehabilitation of the current municipal pool or construction of a new facility.
