Summerlin maintains ties with Red Rock Canyon

Since April 1999, Summerlin has offered its new-home buyers free one-year family passes to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, which frames the master-planned community's western edge. The passes are valued at $20 each.

There are many advantages for all involved in the promotion, according to Larry Brocato, executive vice president of The Howard Hughes Corp., developer of Summerlin.

"The program encourages our residents to experience the area's magnificent beauty firsthand," Brocato said. "Plus, the program has generated tens of thousands of dollars in annual usage fees for the Bureau of Land Management that manages the conservation area. It's a win-win program for residents and the BLM.

"Because of Summerlin's proximity to Red Rock, the community offers some of the most impressive views in the valley. We hope all of our residents appreciate the natural beauty and wonder of the area."

Hughes Corp. has been involved in two major exchanges with the BLM regarding land in the area of Red Rock.

In 2002, the Clark County Conservation of Public Land and Natural Resources Act was enacted, designating 440,000 acres as wilderness area and releasing 233,000 acres for public use or development within Clark County. The law annexed 1,083 acres owned by Hughes Corp. to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area in exchange for 998 acres of federal land contiguous to the southern boundaries of Summerlin.

In 1987, Hughes Corp. and the BLM conducted another exchange providing a buffer zone for the conservation area, which was established in 1990. About 5,000 acres of Hughes Corp. land were exchanged for about 3,000 acres of BLM land in the Summerlin planning area south of Desert Inn Road and west of what would become the Las Vegas Beltway. The exchange was facilitated by The Nature Conservancy, a national organization that assists private and public entities in land transactions.

"Both land exchanges have enhanced Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area in several ways," Brocato said. "The pristine quality of the conservation area was assured for future generations by restricting development in sensitive areas."

Hughes Corp., BLM and Nature Conservancy maintain an active dialogue to address issues of mutual concern, according to Brocato.

Summerlin has ranked as the nation's best-selling master-planned community for 10 of the past 11 years. It is home to eight golf courses, 107 neighborhood and village parks, trails, schools, houses of worship, shopping centers, medical facilities, cultural facilities, business parks and nearly 150 model homes.

Homes are priced from the mid-$100,000s to more than $700,000. Custom-home sites in The Ridges are priced from the $500,000s to more than $1 million, and predesigned custom homes are priced from $2.1 million. Apartments offer monthly rents starting from the high $700s.

For more information, visit www.reviewjournal.com/realestate and click on the Summerlin link.

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