Laughlin Economic
DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
A Community Partnership
Latest News - Press Release from the LEDC
BCC awards Casino Drive SID design contract
Use immediately/Contact Martin Knauss laughlinedc@gmail.com 725-867-8190
LAS VEGAS – Clark County Commissioners on August 20 unanimously approved about $2 million for design of street, water, and sewer through a special improvement district for West Casino Drive in Laughlin.
“The large-diameter water and sewer pipes finally will complete the missing link of the utilities in southern Laughlin,” said Martin Knauss, president of the Laughlin Economic Development Corporation which has supported the effort.
“This will open up lots of commercial land for development along a stretch of Casino Drive that is twice as long as the famed Laughlin Strip Corridor. And it certainly will improve access for Laughlin’s main route for visitors from southern California,” Knauss added.
The vote of 5-0, with Commissioner Michael Naft not present, to award the contract to CG Wallace was part of the consent agenda which will result in bonds being paid back by 29 property owners to widen and straighten 3.9 miles of South and West Casino Drive to 4 through lanes (from 2 lanes, and increase the speed limit from 35 MPH to 45 MPH) from Needles Highway in Upper Laughlin to Harrah’s Resort in Downtown Laughlin, and about half that length for water and sewer trunk lines for 19 properties that now lack the wet utilities.
Originally $2.3 million was earmarked for the engineers to design the 3 parts of the project. The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) allocated $1.5 million for the street portion that will include turn lanes, curbs, sidewalks, and streetlights. The Clark County Commission approved the Laughlin Town Advisory Board’s request to allocate $800,000 from the Fort Mohave Valley Development Fund (FMVDF) towards design costs for the water and sewer districts, whose boards of trustees are the commissioners.
The $300,000 difference between the maximum allocation and the contract can be reallocated by the RTC Board, while all the unused water and sewer design money must be returned to the unique FMVDF which is limited to planning and construction of Laughlin infrastructure. Clark County is the community’s trustee for the 9,000 acres between developed Laughlin and the California border, only 13 miles from the BNSF Railroad’s main lines at Needles.
In an adjacent project, the LEDC in 2012 initiated the idea of an aquatic-based SID to dredge the navigation channels of the Laughlin Lagoon, in which owners of 24 properties are paying back Clark County-issued bonds for SID 162-A. In turn, it is tied into the planned Laughlin River Park between the Lagoon and Big Bend of the Colorado State Recreation Park. The Lagoon and planned 40-acre Park are adjacent to the Casino Drive SID, and tie into the LEDC support of the Laughlin Town Advisory Board drive to get the Big Bend Water District (operated by the Las Vegas Valley Water District) and the Clark County Water Reclamation District to install backbone systems in the 14 square-mile Laughlin Southland that is immediately south of the Big Bend park and reaches to the California border.
That would allow the BNSF Railroad to install a branch line to the Needles Highway in the Southland, only 13 miles from its main line in Needles.
County approves improvements in southern Laughlin
Laughlin Times
LVGEA Annual Awards Dinner
The Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance Annual Awards Dinner was held on September 26, 2019.
Photo (L to R) - Lisa Hardin, Manager Nevada Made Marijuana; Cheryl Crow, Board of Directors LEDC, Owner Kruz N Kuts; Gina Mackey, LTAB Chair; Martin Knauss, President LEDC; Gail Anderson, Deputy Secretary for Southern Nevada, Office of the Secretary of State; Michael Naft, Clark County Commissioner District A; Melanie Sheldon, Director of Business Development, Governor’s Office of Economic Development; Robert Bilbray, Strategic Consultant, LEDC
Guests at the LEDC sponsored table included Gail Anderson, the Deputy Secretary for Southern Nevada for the Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske and Melanie Sheldon, Director of Business Development, Governor’s Office of Economic Development. Invited guests Senator Joe Hardy and his wife Jill along with Dr. Brian Paulson, Laughlin Town Manager, were unable to attend.
In attendance from the LEDC were Board members Gina Mackey, Cheryl Crowe, and Lisa Hardin along with Martin Knauss, President and Robert Bilbray, Strategic Development Advisor.
Clark County Commissioner Michael Naft stopped by the table for a group photo. LEDC wants to congratulate North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee being selected for the Chairman’s Award and Jeremy Arguero, Principal Analyst, Applied Analysis for the Leadership Award.
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"Renewable Energy Conference" Laughlin, Nevada.
Recent tour of our Community renewable energy 4225 acres solar generating site within the 9000 acre Fort Mohave Development Area in South Laughlin, off Needles Hwy set for lease bidding by the end of 2019.
Pictured left to right are David Bobzien, Director, Governor's Office of Energy; Robert Bilbray, Strategic Development Advisor, Laughlin Economic Development Corporation; Brad Crowell, Director, Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; State Senator Joseph Hardy, Senate District 12; Amy Lahav, Nevada Energy Corp, Senior Project Manager, Renewable Energy and Smart Infrastructure
Fort Mohave Development Area
Future for Laughlin!
Overhead view south to the 9000 acre Fort Mohave Development Area (FMDA) in Laughlin, Nevada.
Promoting Economic Development in Laughlin
Press Releases from the LEDC
LEDC Supports City of Needles in BUILD Grant submittal
By Martin Knauss, President
Laughlin Economic Development Corporation
The Laughlin Economic Development Corporation supports the application of the City of Needles to the United States Department of Transportation’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD 2019) competitive grant program for the Needles Highway Project Segment 1B.
The Needles Highway Project Segment 1B extends from Park Rd (connector to I40) north to Budweiser Rd. This encompasses the section of Needles Highway that is in most need of immediate repair and reconstruction.
The LEDC has sent a letter to The Honorable Elaine Chao, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation in support of the City of Needles grant submittal.
For information about the LEDC, contact President Martin Knauss at laughlinedc@gmail.com; 725-867-8190; or go to laughlinedc.org
Latest statistics on Laughlin included in LVGEA 2019 annual Perspective book
The latest statistics about Laughlin are included in the 39th annual edition of Perspective. The 210-page volume was unveiled May 14, 2019 by the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance, the State of Nevada’s regional economic development agency for Clark County, at a morning meeting attended by an estimated 680 persons. The Laughlin Economic Development Corporation is an LVGEA member. Read the entire Press Release.
LEDC Sponsors two $500 Scholarships for 2019 graduating class of Laughlin High School.
The Laughlin Economic Development Corporation awarded $500 scholarships to Shyenne Batrin and Josh Furr, graduating seniors from Laughlin High School.
LEDC Press Releases on Bills in the State Legislature
Separate incorporation bills die in Senate, Assembly committees
County lobbyists kill bill to save Laughlin gas pump customers money
LEDC Map Presentation to City of Needles
LEDC presents map of Tri-State area to City of Needles
By Martin Knauss
President
Laughlin Economic Development Corporation
At the May 28, 2019 City Council meeting for the City of Needles, the LEDC gifted a wall map of the Tri – State area to the City. Attending from the LEDC was Martin Knauss, President, Jim Maniaci, Vice-President, Cheryl Crow, Board Member, and Robert Bilbray, Strategic Development Advisor. Also attending was Dr. Brian Paulson, Laughlin Town Manager.
Jeff Williams, Mayor of Needles, the City Council members, and Rick Daniels, City Manager, warmly accepted the gift and thanked the LEDC.
The LEDC supports the City of Needles in improving their infrastructure, especially Needles Highway. We hope to work together in the future on a potential Railroad Spur for the area to support commercial development that will provide jobs for the citizens of Needles and
Laughlin.
For information about the LEDC, contact President Martin Knauss at laughlinedc@gmail.com; 725-867-8190; or go to laughlinedc.org.
BLM Resources Management Plan
LEDC Comments on the BLM Plan
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.
Laughlin Lagoon River Park
Laughlin Community "River Park"!
An overhead view of the 40 acre "River Park" public recreational site encompassing the entire south end of the Laughlin Lagoon.
The recently completed Laughlin Lagoon dredging project formed the grade for the 15 acre parking lot and developing the 2000 LF of beach extending from the levee to the Marina and adjacent to our 150 acre Big Bend State Park. A Community meeting was held in Laughlin on November 7th to gather input from Laughlin residents about what they would like to see at the proposed park. Learn More
Laughlin Bay Lagoon Groundbreaking
Laughlin Bay Lagoon Groundbreaking
Sept 4th, 2018
A Special Evening in the History of the Laughlin Community!
In appreciation of the decades long effort by US Senator Harry Reid and unending support by Clark Commissioner Steve Sisolak, Senator Joe Harty, Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske and 95 honored guests who collectively with 13 property owners, created this "public/private partnership" for the recreational and economic development future of the Laughlin Community.
This celebration to the finest team of project design, planning, permitting, financing and construction will now proceed to create for our Community a 175 acre still water bay which will be a legacy for each of us who have been honored to play a part will cherish for decades to come and which will impact the lives of thousands who follow our lead. Thank you all so very much for your professional and personal commitment to the existing and future residents of our Laughlin community. Watch Video of the Event
Laughlin Lagoon Dredging Project
Laughlin Lagoon
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.
Laughlin Leadership Forums
LEDC Laughlin Leadership Forums
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.
Patrons / Enhanced Members
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Partnerships & Memberships
LEDC Membership in Laughlin
Get Involved
The LEDC is always looking for civic and business leaders to join us in our efforts of promoting economic development in Laughlin. If you are interested in getting involved please visit our Membership page for more information.