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We recently had the pleasure of celebrating the unprecendented progress we've made in North Las Vegas during our 22nd annual State of the City luncheon. It was a wonderful event with a packed house of 700 people. Thank you to all of our residents, business partners, colleagues and friends who attended!
Mayor John Lee gave a wonderful speech outlining our accomplishments over the past year and offering a sneak peek into where our city is headed. In case you missed it, here are some highlights:
* Less than five years ago, North Las Vegas was facing a $153 million dollar long term budget deficit, a $17 million dollar hole in its current budget, millions of dollars in legal judgements, and other systemic financial challenges. Thanks to the hard work of our City Council, executive team and staff, we’ve closed that hole, and now we are fully funded, fully balanced and wholly solvent.
* From the best days of North Las Vegas in the early 2000s until 2013, North Las Vegas’ bond rating had fallen 15 levels. As a result of the Great Recession and some not-so-great administrative decisions, the city was rated by Moody’s Standard a Ba2 negative -- non-investment grade. Today, we are happy to report that the city’s credit rating is back up to Baa3 and once again is back to investment grade. That’s a very big deal for us to now cross over into that category!
* Our work to bring infrastructure to Apex Industrial Park continues, with great success. In the northern Apex area, we will be installing a $4 million elevated water storage tank and water line connecting to an existing city well to bring 400 developable acres immediately online for new job creators. In the south region of Apex, engineering and design work is underway to extend the city’s existing waterline that ends at Manheim Auto Auction by more than 5 miles to bring vital infrastructure to over 1,400 acres of real estate. NDOT also just broke ground on a $58 million dollar road and bridge project at Apex. Exciting stuff!!
* We are opening up 1,100 acres of land for development near the Las Vegas Motor Speedway by bringing sewer and road infrastructure to that area as well. If you drive out to where the 215 connects with the I-15, you will see a beehive of activity. Businesses have already started purchasing the land, and there are some VERY exciting projects on the way!
* The first 1,500 lots at the $3.3 billion Villages at Tule Springs development have been approved, and developers are 50 percent done with a $17 million infrastructure project to serve more than 1,000 properties. The first model homes will be open in May! Before summer, construction will start on the first phase of a $12 million, 35-acre regional park, and another $12 million in infrastructure projects will break ground this year.
* At Sedona Ranch, the site of the old Pig Farm, more than 1,100 homes and 22 acres of commercial development have been approved that will transform the city and dramatically increase the home values in the area as previous odor restrictions are removed from homeowners’ titles.
* Over the next 10 years, Nellis Air Force Base is going to double in size. Two new air wings are moving in, and 8,000 new jobs will be coming to our community — permanent, high paying jobs that START at $84,000 a year!
* Public safety is a high priority for this Council. In 2017, we hired 45 new police officers, and we will be hiring another 38 officers this year. We also have 12 new firefighters about to graduate from the academy.
* We've opened seven new charter schools in North Las Vegas already, and we have many more coming, including at least three planned for this fall.
 
Our City Council promised to bring jobs and development to downtown North Las Vegas, and boy have we delivered! Literally everywhere you turn in our main downtown corridor, there are construction trucks moving dirt. It brings tears of joy to my eyes!
Most recently, Maya Cinemas started grading for its new 14-theater movie complex across the street from City Hall. Completion is slated for December. The complex will include restaurants and shops -- everything you need for a great date night or weekend out!
Work is advancing quickly at Expertise Cosmetology Institute, a new beauty school being built at Lake Mead Boulevard and North Fifth Street that will train our residents for lucrative cosmetology jobs. Nevada Hand recently broke ground on a new Rose Garden senior living campus to replace the existing 40-year-old facility, and Agora Realty is working on its second phase to expand La Bonita and add a Ross clothing store at Fiesta Plaza.
In addition, we have many new restaurants moving in downtown, and several medical providers have opened up shop or laid out plans for new health care facilities.
We are working hard to ensure that as the economy of our city grows, all of our neighborhoods and residents benefit. These cornerstone redevelopment projects are the first of much more exciting news to come for our downtown core!
I'm sad to report that last month we lost a great friend to North Las Vegas. Artist Roberto Rico died unexpectedly in January.
Roberto was a talented painter and a regular contributor to our Stone Soup Art Center at City Hall. He also was a dedicated art teacher for our senior citizens at Neighborhood Recreation Center.
I am working with staff and the seniors now on a permanent installation at the rec center to honor Roberto. We'll miss him dearly, but his memory and contributions to our community will live on in his art.
A merry Christmas at the local Boys and Girls Club
To commemorate the season of giving, it has become an annual tradition of mine to spend time during the Christmas season with the youth in our community.
This year, Santa and I celebrated with the children at the James Boys and Girls Club in North Las Vegas. The clubhouse was filled with presents, laughter and lots of Christmas cheer.
Thank you to Clubhouse Director Lisa Dix for her help coordinating this wonderful event!
 
 
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