COLUMN: Lake Las Vegas a feast for the eyes

Anybody who hasn't been to Lake Las Vegas Resort recently should treat themselves to a tour of the luxury development in Henderson.

In fact, go out, have lunch at the Hyatt Regency or at La Chandele in the Reflection Bay Golf & Beach Club, then look around the property.

The SouthShore development is closed to the public, but the northern shore isn't and that's where there's a great view of SouthShore.

Two Jack Nicklaus-designed golf courses, one on each side of the lake, have been open for quite a while. The SouthShore Golf Club is private, but the Reflection Bay Golf Club is open to the public and, I understand, a lot of fun to play.

A third course, designed by Tom Weiskopf, is being laid out near the community's southern edge, where Lake Mead Drive and Lake Las Vegas Parkway intersect. This course will certainly attract the attention of people as they enter or exit the resort.

What once was the sales office is now the Discovery Centre. Oh sure, it's still a sales office, but what an office. It has a screening room where a video shows the future of Lake Las Vegas and its newest project, MonteLago Village.

When Ron Boeddeker of Transcontinental Corp. envisioned the resort, part of that vision was a village that would offer housing, shopping and entertainment. But it wasn't until Intrawest entered the picture that the final chapter of his dream could be realized. The collaboration will produce MonteLago Village, a $5 billion investment.

A Ritz-Carlton hotel will be at the heart of this mammoth project, and will include a separate spa and an out-of-the-way casino, similar to those in Monte Carlo. A hotel bridge connecting the village shores will resemble the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy. Shops will line the main level of the bridge and luxury hotel rooms will fill the second level, offering on-the-water views of Lake Las Vegas.

MonteLago is designed to be a "walking" village, patterned after the villages in northern Italy, where homes are above shops and all conveniences are within walking distance.

The condominium homes will range from studios to three bedrooms. They'll be priced from $325,000.

Production homes are pretty rare at Lake Las Vegas, but the exceptions are notable.

On SouthShore, MiraMonte presents waterfront homes starting at about $1.5 million. These magnificent villas feature courtyards with fountains, spas or pools, golf-cart garages, and even private boat docks.

On the north side are the enclaves of Sorrento and Ravello, customized single-family homes with views of the lake and golf course. Homes in these neighborhoods start at about $600,000 and offer design and landscape consultations to help make the home-buying process as turnkey an experience as possible for busy executives.

One of the most beautiful views of Lake Las Vegas is from the Lake Mead Wash interpretive trail on North Shore Road. From this site, one can see that the homes, hotels, golf courses and lake are a testament to the developer's quest to produce a resort atmosphere.

Longtime Las Vegans were skeptical when the Lake Las Vegas project was first announced, more than 15 years ago. Short-time residents may not even know it exists.

Whichever category you fall into, take a ride out to this jewel in the desert.

Carmel Hopkins, real estate product manager for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and Las Vegas Sun, can be reached at 380-4574. Her e-mail address is Carmel_Hopkins@ lasvegasnewspapers.com. Snail mail is P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89125.

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