More than half of Bear's Best complete

The Jack Nicklaus-designed Bear's Best Las Vegas golf course is taking shape in The Ridges village in Summerlin. Half of the holes have been sodded and, according to operations manager Adam Owen, the course is on schedule to open for play in November.

"The entire golf course will actually be complete and playable by the end of the summer," Owen said. "But we will not open until late fall in order to allow vegetation to mature and remain healthy year-round, and to allow revegetation to re-establish roots."

The course will consist of 18 replicas of memorable holes designed by Nicklaus.

"In many respects, it's easier to design a course from scratch than to attempt to fit in duplications of holes I've already designed," Nicklaus said. "Plus, this land's varied features and dramatic topography have presented other challenges. But that's part of what will make this golf course so interesting, diverse and unique."

Stew Gibbons, executive vice president of The Howard Hughes Corp., developer of Summerlin, said homes at The Ridges will align the course.

"The Ridges is situated to offer expansive views of the Las Vegas Strip to the east and deep views looking into Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area to the west. Add to that the fact that homes in The Ridges will line Bear's Best Las Vegas, a golf course that promises to be one of the most picturesque in the Las Vegas Valley, and you have an atmosphere unlike any other," Gibbons said.

"We feel it's important that residents of The Ridges see Bear's Best Las Vegas as more than a beautiful backdrop for their home, rather, a special feature of their community. That's why we have negotiated to secure preferred tee times and discounted golf rates for community residents."

The 752-acre village, located at the western end of Desert Inn Road, will also feature an 8-acre private park; Club Ridges, a clubhouse with a resort-style swimming pool, lap pool and fitness center; and lighted tennis courts. It will eventually be home to six custom enclaves and 10 neighborhoods situated behind guarded gates.

The first custom neighborhood, Promontory, offers lots ranging from one-half acre to three-quarters of an acre. They are priced from $200,000 to more than $1 million. Most phase-one lots have been sold and the second phase has been released.

Overlooking Promontory is Promontory Pointe, an enclave of 13 custom lots located at the highest point within The Ridges. The neighborhood will feature a guard gate and lots priced in the millions of dollars.

Situated along the western rim of the valley, Summerlin is comprised of villages, each with a major park or golf course. The community features eight golf courses, 100 parks, more than 90 completed miles of trails, 16 schools, and nearly 130 model homes.

Houses, townhomes and condominiums are priced from under $100,000 to more than $700,000. Custom lots measuring from one-quarter acre to three-quarters of an acre are priced from the mid-$100,000s to more than $1 million, and predesigned custom homes are priced from $500,000 to more than $1 million. Apartments offer monthly rents starting from the $700s.

To visit the community's home finding center, travel west on Sahara Avenue, past Hualapai Way, to Town Center Drive. Or, take Interstate 215 to Sahara.

The office is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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