Agreeing with the LEDC, the Laughlin Town Advisory Board voted 3-1 at its monthly meeting on Dec. 11 to ask the Clark County Commission and the Regional Transportation Commission to stop spending money on a third bridge over the Colorado River from Laughlin into Arizona.

The LTAB also voted 3-1 to request the two commissions to reprogram allocated but unspent funds to other transportation projects that would yield much greater benefits to Laughlin residents. 

LEDC Directors Jim Maniaci and Gina Mackey were joined by LTAB member Stephanie Bethards in the votes to terminate the costly bridge at its Bullhead Parkway crossing site into southern Bullhead City.

At the Nov. 13 LTAB meeting, LEDC Vice-President Martin Knauss read a statement giving reasons to stop the project.   At its Dec. 11 meeting, LEDC member Danny Vanderloop read a statement of continued opposition and repeated the prior Knauss statement.

Vanderloop’s comment was, “The position of the Laughlin Economic Development Corporation remains substantially the same today as it was on Nov. 13. The statement read by LEDC Vice-President Martin Knauss is correct in that no written agreement was signed in 2013. There was an agreement signed in 2004.”

Knaus's statement was, “At this time, the LEDC does not support moving forward with the bridge funding and construction.

“As presented by Mr. Lueck, 

“ * Current estimated construction costs have increased to $56.3 MM,

“ * Clark County (RTC) portion potentially available is $32 MM,

“ * BHC portion is $3.7 MM,

“ * Federal funding is $18.5 MM,

“ * Shortfall of $2 MM,

“ * A total of $5 MM of Ft. Mohave Dev Fund monies were dedicated in the past and have been mostly spent. The funds are NOT included in the above estimated construction cost.

“The cost/benefit is skewed. In 2003 an agreement was discussed to shift more cost to BHC as the bulk of the benefit is towards the business/residential and sales tax base for BHC and Mohave County. No agreement was reached between the jurisdictions.

“A 2010 survey by the Mohave Daily News showed only 26% of Laughlin residents at the time supported the Parkway location. This is currently the only viable location based on federal agencies input.

“So again, at this time, LEDC does not support moving forward with the bridge funding and construction. 

“Until an agreement between jurisdictions can be made to appropriately share the cost of the bridge this delay is warranted.

“RTC funds would be better used to improve Casino Drive from Harrah’s to Needles Highway and/or other Laughlin improvements.”

(Bob Lueck is the deputy director of the Clark County Public Works Department.)

Formed in 1962 when the federal government channelized the Colorado River to improve water flows and virtually eliminate navigational barriers formed by ever-changing sandbars in the curves of the river -- thus the name Big Bend of the Colorado Nevada State (Recreational) Park south of the Lagoon -- the Lagoon's internal navigation channels in a 150-acre aquatic gem were last dredged in 1999, resulting in extensive silting. 

In 2012 the LEDC launched a campaign to remove the silt and keep it cleaned out. State Sen. Joe Hardy, whose district includes Laughlin, got the Nevada Legislature to add waterfront projects to the Nevada Revised Statutes. Working with the Nevada Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Department's State Land Division and State Parks Division, along with many Clark County Departments, the LEDC during the administration of Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak whose district includes Laughlin,had the County form a pair of Special Improvement Districts in which the owners of lots fronting the Lagoon paid for bonds for most of the project that was expanded to include State lands turned over to the county for a public beach and (eventually) a park.The owners also will pay for the maintenance of the Lagoon through the second SID. 

This will allow the marina at the revived waterways to launch a high-class recreational vehicle park to complement Laughlin's other RV facilities, such as at neighboring Big Bend.

Status Report  October 4, 2018 

The Laughlin Economic Development Corporation released comments

for the Bureau of Land Management's Resources Management Plan.

Our goal jobs and economic development.   

Click on the link below to see and download our comments.

The LEDC, relying on Laughlin's historically high voter turnouts, hosts legislators whose districts include Laughlin, and top candidates for election to political offices that affect the community of more than 10,000 permanent residents, to speak to local citizens during Laughlin Leadership Forums. This is important because governments at all levels own almost 9 of every 10 square-miles in Nevada's 110,000-plus square-miles, about the same percentage as in Laughlin township which is the Battle Born State's southern-most town.

Laughlin Economic Development Corporation's Table  - Aria Hotel, Las Vegas,  September 20, 2018. A wonderful evening representing our Laughlin Community's Economic Development hopes and dreams!  Attendees pictured:

Brian Paulson – Laughlin Town Manager, Michele Shafe – Clark County Assessor, Bob Bilbray – Strategic Development Advisor,  Phil Klevorick – Clark County Economic Development Program Mgr., Martin Knauss – Vice President, L.E.D.C .,  James “Jim” Maniaci – Chairman, Laughlin Town Advisory Board & President, L.E.D.C. , Sunny Maniaci – Wife of Jim Maniaci , Rebecca Leavitt – Wife of Glen Leavitt,  Glen Leavitt – Republican Candidate NV State Assembly – Dist. 23

 An aerial map of the Greater Laughlin Region was presented in the Clark County.Assessor's Office on June 19, 2018 to Clark County Assessor Michele Shafe (left) and Assessor-Elect Briana Johnson (right) by Robert Bilbray, Strategic Development Advisor for the LEDC.