Las Vegas has taken significant steps toward the redevelopment of the Desert Pines Golf Course, with the City Council unanimously approving a development agreement on Wednesday with McCormack Baron Salazar Inc. This decision brings the long-discussed project closer to fruition.
The initial plans for the redevelopment of Desert Pines and the Royal Link Golf Club were first presented to the community in May 2022. Following those discussions, the State Infrastructure Bank approved a $25 million loan in November to assist with the first phase of the Desert Pines project.
Governor Joe Lombardo expressed his support for the project, stating, “Nevadans deserve ample access to affordable and attainable housing options. I’m proud to support the largest affordable housing project in Nevada history through the State Infrastructure Bank. Through projects like this, we’re helping secure the next generation of Nevada homeownership.”
Dina Babsky, the Director of Urban and Economic Development for Las Vegas, outlined that the development will feature a total of at least 1,566 residential units, a blend of affordable housing options, mixed-use properties, for-sale townhomes, and single-family residential homes.
The site plan reveals designated areas for various types of housing and community facilities. Purple areas on the plan indicate locations for mixed-use buildings, with one dedicated to affordable senior housing and the others designated for mixed-income housing.
Commercial development will occupy spaces as you approach Pecos, while a new training center for the College of Southern Nevada will also be located in the top right corner of the site. This facility will resemble another training center currently being constructed on the west side of the city.
Parcel 10 is reserved for recreation and open space, including a designated trail marked in black, with around 10 acres allocated for recreational activities.
The project will also feature areas for single-family attached and detached homes, all intended for sale. Moreover, there is ongoing discussion of potentially including an early education center within the development.
Financial estimates suggest that the total project cost will be around $440 million, with some funding already secured. The Economic Development Administration Grant, awarded by the federal government, is expected to be finalized this fall, following a site visit by representatives in September.
According to a May appraisal conducted by Southwest Property Consultants, the 97.94 acres of the golf course are valued at approximately $55.5 million. However, city officials plan to sell the land for $17.45 million.
Babsky explained, “The project was specifically structured that way so that in the future, the parcels that are planned to be for-sale market rate housing and sold off to home builders will generate proceeds that are routed back into the affordable housing development at Desert Pines.”
The land will be transferred to Desert Pines Master Development LLC, with McCormack Baron Salazar Inc. holding a 51% stake and development partner Urban Strategies Inc. possessing the remaining 49%.
Dan Falcone, the President of Falcon Groupe Inc. working with McCormack Baron Salazar, shared insights on adjustments made to the project plans to better serve community needs. “We took a step back and said rather than doing about two-thirds of the project as studios and one-bedrooms, which was the original plan, let’s flip that around. So we ended up with about two-thirds of the project consisting of two and three-bedroom units, fewer units due to space constraints, with one-third allocated for one-bedrooms and no studios on site.”
Falcone also noted that despite some homes being priced at market rates, efforts will be made to ensure affordability for first-time and low-income buyers. “We’ll work with individuals on financial structure and financial engineering, so that those who may have lower incomes can still live there. We aim to provide assistance with grants and soft dollars to facilitate the purchase of these homes at market rates.”
He added that the intent is to create a supportive environment for existing residents, stating that new developments should not undervalue surrounding properties. “We want to uplift the community not just through our building but also by enhancing the surrounding area.”
Councilwoman Shondra Summers-Armstrong emphasized the importance of the project to community well-being, expressing hope that it would serve as a model for future developments. “Your project gives us hope and, hopefully, a template so that people in this community can cease to be afraid of their neighbors. People are often apprehensive about affordable housing, believing it will negatively impact them. We need to communicate that everyone requires housing, and intentional planning is essential to avoid homelessness or migration from our community.”
As for the timeline, city officials indicated that the golf course operator must provide a six-month notice to conclude their operations before redevelopment can commence. Babsky mentioned, “With that timeline, we expect the redevelopment of Desert Pines to take place in June 2026. Once that happens, the very first parcel for affordable housing will break ground in 2027, with the last parcel in Phase I to break ground in 2030. Phase II will begin following that, and the overall project is anticipated to be completed by 2036.”
This redevelopment project is crucial for Las Vegas, potentially providing thousands of housing units to address the growing demand for affordable living in the city.
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