Fandango plans 184 homes in hills west of South Carson City

The southwest side of Carson City will be significantly transformed if the city OKs a Las Vegas company's plan to develop 184 homes on the hillside.

Carson Gaming, owner of Casino Fandango, plans to build the homes on 22 acres off South Curry Street, west of the casino. The company also plans to build a $10-million movie theater on the land, expand the casino and build a build a four-story, 100-room hotel off South Carson Street. The project is expected to cost $60 million.

A city planning official said it's still in the preliminary stages.

Steve Forester, general manager of Casino Fandango, said the development will bring economic vitality to the area.

"We're doing a lot of work in a small amount of time and we want to make sure everyone at the city supports it, and that the time frame will work," Forester said Wednesday. "We're on an aggressive time frame. We want the theater opened by next July and improvements on Curry Street have to be done."

Carson Gaming began the first step in the building process Wednesday by submitting plans to the city.

Bob Bondiett, who has lived on Voltaire Street for 27 years, gasped when he heard how many homes the gaming company is planning for his neighborhood, which is sparsely populated with one-acre homes at the foot of Voltaire Canyon.

"That's really way dense," he said. "Are they triple deckers? How can you do that? It's nuts. It's way too dense for this area."

The announcement comes seven months after the company first disclosed that it would expand on 30 acres off South Curry Street and Voltaire Canyon Road. Carson Gaming bought the land in October for $2.8 million from the VanSickle Trust.

Olympia Development Corp., of Las Vegas, will develop the theater and the homes. The owners of Carson Gaming also own Olympia Development. Forester said the cost of the homes and the construction schedule have not been decided. Single-family homes were chosen for the area because of the demand in the housing market.

"We need more new (housing) product in Carson City because of our lack of land here," said local real estate agent Bob Fredlund, with Coldwell Banker Bestsellers. "The price is a big key because we need things new under $300,000. I think Carson City can use it."

Carson Gaming will break ground on the 41,000-square-foot, 10-screen multiplex theater in July. Galaxy Theatres plans to open the 2,000-seat theater in July 2007.

Moviegoers will be able to park at Casino Fandango, 3800 S. Carson St., and cross Curry Street by an enclosed pedestrian bridge, which will be connected to the southwest corner of the casino. The company will add about 10,000 square feet to the casino's west side and southwest corner. Construction on this expansion - slated for more gaming and convention rooms - will also begin in July. This will bring Fandango to about 58,000 square feet.

Walt Sullivan, city director of planning and community development, said several city departments - including fire, public works and engineering - will review Carson Gaming's plan on May 16. Depending on the outcome of the review, a public hearing could be required and held in late summer.

"From this point, the city will be able to give them good feedback on their plans, what the city's design standards and requirements are, and then they will go from there," Sullivan said Wednesday.

The plan could require a special-use permit, or go straight to the building department. One thing the city will discuss is whether the housing development meets the hillside ordinance, which requires further review or permitting at certain gradients on the hills surrounding Carson City.

• Contact reporter Becky Bosshart at bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.