Next Tuesday, September 27th the City Council will discuss the proposed Elite RV park.
There has been a great deal of discussion about the proposed Elite RV project next to Boulder Creek Golf Course. We first brought this news to you back in April HERE. We’ve had a chance to sit down with the gentlemen behind the proposal, Gary Baldwin and Frank Manzullo.
Gary Baldwin is a long-term Boulder City resident. He told us that relocating to Boulder City more than twenty years ago was the “best decision” of his life. Many of us feel this way too! Frank Manzullo is a professional mechanical engineer. Together they created and managed the FlyLinq Zip Line attraction between the Linq and the Flamingo hotel. They sold their $20 million project and have continued to collaborate on other projects since. Gary’s motto is “Passion plus perfection”. He and Frank are careful in choosing their ventures to match this philosophy.
That brings us to their current proposed investment. A luxury RV resort such as the one currently being proposed would involve approximately 75 acres of property immediately adjacent to Boulder Creek Golf Course, along Veterans Memorial Drive. They chose the Boulder City area for a number of reasons, including:
- Its proximity to other regional destinations such as the Grand Canyon, southern Utah, northern Arizona, the Las Vegas Valley, as well as points within Nevada. Boulder City is approximately a 2-day drive to 1/3 of the United States!
- It is a stop for those heading to and from Los Angeles and other Southern California destinations.
- It can provide a resort experience, that in itself is a destination.
The owners of Elite RV would not own the land under their project, it would be a lease from the city. There would be only short-term stays at the location. Most clients of similar locations stay for several days up to a couple of weeks, before moving on to their next destination. All recreational vehicles have to meet minimum size requirements to be considered for booking.
A project like this would be profitable to the city and its residents for a number of reasons. First of all, the key to success for a project like this is to hire local residents with local knowledge of the area and the best places in Boulder City and adjacent areas for dining, recreation, sightseeing, and other areas of local interest. The idea is to provide a resort experience and concierge services for visitors.
As you can see from the information provided, these lots will be “desert lush” spots for visitors, many of whom enjoy the opportunity to travel and work remotely from their RVs. In some spots, RV parking is adjacent to small cabins for additional visitors who don’t own an RV, for example, but want to enjoy time spent with their friends or family who do. The cabins range in size from 200 to 400 square feet. Again, these are not permanent accommodations and can only be used in conjunction with a pre-approved booking. There are also 60 separate cabins which can be rented, and again according to the temporary stay requirements. You can see the full details and mock-ups for the entire plan HERE. This is similar to what the City Council will see on Tuesday night.
Included in the facility plans are a clubhouse and pool, but also they plan to have a Tourism Welcome and Booking Center that will be staffed by our local Chamber of Commerce, so visitors can book area activities. Also will be a business center, car rental office, wellness center, (think Spa…..ladies!), and direct access to the Boulder Creek Golf Course.
Development of the resort also provides a tax base for Boulder City that isn’t a solar lease. This means incoming revenue to city coffers with little expense needed to extend services to the resort. A win-win!
What about water and the load on our utilities in Boulder City, you ask? Water is, and shall remain a concern in the desert southwest quite possibly for the rest of our lives. We take that seriously, as should you, and both Gary and Frank do as well. Starting on page 27 is a breakdown of the estimated water and electric usage, and they show you an RV use versus a home or hotel by comparison. The city also compiled a report on the sewer demands and impacts HERE, which were found to be negligible.
Another positive of the project is there is no viewshed impact on surrounding neighborhoods. The site itself is situated within the golf course area and won’t impact the desert views. The main ingress/egress will be generally across the street from the Boulder Creek Golf Course at the intersection of Veterans Memorial Drive and Adams Boulevard.
Back in 2018, when the City surveyed all of us as residents for input into what should be the long-range goals for Boulder City, a couple of things stood out: 1. We want to maintain our controlled growth, and 2. We also need an economy that can grow with our needs and provide jobs, and tourism to support our small-town businesses is a great way to do that.
This project seems to check a lot of those boxes. Gary and Frank are passionate about this project, its success, and Boulder City at large.
We will watch our City Council avidly to see what they decide on Tuesday night if this project will move forward.
