PLANNING COMMISSION OK’S WAL-MART FOOTPRINT IN PAHRUMP, NV

RPC OKs map for new Wal-Mart [Pahrump Valley Times (Nev.)]

A new 175,000-square-foot Wal-Mart store on the east side of Highway 160 between Irene and Adkisson streets was part of a tentative subdivision map approved by the Pahrump Regional Planning Commission Wednesday.

The subdivision, measuring 57.7 acres, will encompass a 300,000-square-foot shopping center.

Brad Jones, project manager for Nigro Development, confirmed Thursday the un-named anchor tenant mentioned in the application will be a new Wal-Mart store but provided few other details.

The fifth anniversary of the grand opening of the existing Wal-Mart store at 300 S. Highway 160 was May 21. That store, measuring 155,000 square feet, was the smallest of two new Wal-Mart stores that opened in Southern Nevada that same day, the Pahrump Valley Times reported.

Another store that opened at the same time, at Fort Apache Drive in Las Vegas, was 209,000 square feet.

During recent weeks members of the Wal-Mart staff have openly discussed the planned move.

The parking lot at the store, which anchors Pahrump Valley Junction and includes Albertson’s and CVS is often times very congested.

Then store manager Randy Harmon said the Pahrump Wal-Mart store had 410 employees.

The applicants are proposing to widen a half-mile of Highway 160 between Adkisson and Irene Street as well as provide a traffic light at the intersection of Highway 160 and Irene Street, the Nye County Planning Department report states. Negotiations are under way with Utilities Inc. to extend water and sewer lines to the site.

Jones said the actual street improvements will be determined by the Nevada Department of Transportation traffic engineer. The back of the property is along Promenade Street, a dirt road, which will be improved.

Jones said he couldn’t state what other stores may locate in the shopping center. Soon after the existing Wal-Mart store opened, a Sonic Burger and Panda Express restaurant followed. A Checker’s Auto Parts store also opened nearby.

The tentative subdivision map was approved quickly without a fuss. None of the RPC members even inquired what was going to be the retail anchor of the shopping center, a huge building, though they apparently had heard the rumors it would be the new Wal-Mart store.

RPC member Carrick “Bat” Masterson said he didn’t bother asking questions, since companies like Wal-Mart are generally tight-lipped about announcements. When the original Wal-Mart store went through the planning process it was described in public meetings only as “a big box retailer.”

“I had heard the rumors. Although it hadn’t been confirmed, that’s pretty well who it’s going to be,” Masterson said Thursday.

“When they get it in, there’s room for a whole lot of other stores. I think it’s going to be ‘the’ major development in Pahrump,” he said.

Masterson speculated Wal-Mart chose the location because there was a large chunk of land available. He said there’s also a large piece of commercial real estate across Highway 160.

“It’ll be big. I think it’s going to open up that whole area,” Masterson said.

RPC member Dan Schinhofen admitted board members didn’t ask questions “because we all knew.”

Schinhofen questioned why Wal-Mart would build to the north, when much of the development plans in Pahrump are occurring in the south.

“When someone brings us something and says they’re going to improve roads, I’m immediately favorable,” Schinhofen said. “That will all be done in the site-plan review and public works, all the issues, because they have to go by all the design guidelines and all the standards.”

Nye County Planner Dave Stallworth said engineering considerations like highway access points and easements will be shown on the final subdivision map, which will be up for approval as the next stage of the process.

But first the Nye County Commission has to approve the tentative subdivision map as well.

Wal-Mart officials weren’t available for comment by press time Thursday to talk about what would happen with the existing building next to Albertson’s Supermarket. The Wal-Mart Real Estate Business Trust owns six parcels at that location on 300 S. Highway 160, purchased from Red Rock Commercial March 1, 2002, for $1.95 million, according to records at the Nye County assessor’s office.

The property owner for the new 57.7-acre tract, Pahrump 194, bought the land from Dr. Carlos Fonte, trustee of the Fonte Family Trust. The engineers are the SHG Group Inc.

A company spokesman did say Wal-Mart had 4,141 stores as of last month.

Rumors prevalent among Wal-Mart staffers indicate a Sam’s Club, closely related to Wal-Mart, will move into the store at some point.

While the north side of Pahrump has been out of many of the large residential development plans, the proposed federal detention center, at 2150 E. Mesquite Ave., could also change the character of that side of town.

The RPC Wednesday approved a parcel map for property owner United Holdings Corporation to split off a 40-acre parcel from that 160-acre tract. The detention center will be built by Corrections Corporation of America on the other 120 acres.

Another large retail business is scheduled to open in August, the Home Depot store on Highway 160 just north of Basin Avenue. That store will employ 105 to 115 employees.

Officials broke ground last October for the Home Depot, which measures 102,000 square feet with a 35,000-square-foot garden center.