US/China Trade War Tariffs Likely to Increase Construction Costs in Las Vegas, Reports Say

LAS VEGAS, NV – Many Las Vegas construction projects that are either in the planning stages or are currently in the works are facing the very real threat of skyrocketing costs in the face of trade tariffs brought on by the ongoing US/China Trade War, according to recent reports.

As previously announced by President Donald Trump, on October 1, 2019, new tariffs – ranging from 25 percent to 30 percent – will be placed on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods; in addition, $160 billion worth of Chinese goods will come under a new 15 percent tax due to be instituted on December 15.

How this affects construction in Las Vegas – and much of the United States, for that matter – is in steel, one of China’s main exports, which is also home to six of the 10 largest steel-producing companies headquartered there, according to reports. 

And the increased steel prices that the tariffs are causing are making many developers think twice about going forward with – or scaling back – numerous planned projects in the Southern Nevada region due to the ballooning costs involved. For example, a proposed sports and entertainment complex for the Las Vegas Strip headed up by former NBA star Jackie Robinson has raised its estimated costs from $2.7 billion to nearly $3 billion as a result of increased steel costs, reports say. In addition, the developers of the MSG Sphere at The Venetian have increased their initial estimate from $1.2 billion to $1.7 billion.

However, an equal number of developers are pressing forward and taking on the extra costs as they come, while others are managing to remain on-budget as pre-existing purchase contracts with exporters have rendered them temporarily immune to the rising costs brought about by the US/Chine trade war. Projects that report no significant cost overruns due to the conflict include the Las Vegas Raiders Stadium and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) convention center expansion.

According to the LVCVA, there are ongoing or currently planned projects scheduled to open through 2022 totaling in the amount of $15.2 billion within the confines of the city.

Shelter Realty Property Management specializes in the areas of  Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – Derek Stevens – noted owner of several high-profile Las Vegas casinos, including D Las Vegas and Golden Gate and developer of the under-construction Circa Resort & Casino – recently announced his plans to build a warehouse near the downtown area to service his hotels, according to reports.

The warehouse, whose project plans have been approved by the Las Vegas City Council, would be built in a vacant lot at the northeast corner of Bonanza Road and Main Street and is slated to be 62,976 square-feet in size.

The lot, previously empty for an extended period of time, was the former home of the Nevada Biltmore Hotel in the 1940’s. It has remained in disuse since then, with an attempt to build a $135 million, 296 unit condominium complex there in the mid-2000’s never coming to fruition due to the recession; Stevens later acquired the property through foreclosure.

The warehouse, according to reports, would be used primarily to service Stevens’ currently-in-construction Circa Resort & Casino, a 777 room hotel that is expected to open in December 2020. The warehouse would also service other hotels that Stevens owns in the downtown area. 

Ground is expected to be officially broken on construction by April of 2020. The project’s general contractor has been announced as being Tré Builders, and efforts have been made to open up channels of discourse with neighboring residents of the project in order to get feedback from them.

According to reports, some of local residents are unhappy with the impending warehouse and its planned aesthetics, claiming that it will have a negative impact upon them. 

Others, however, have been supportive of the warehouse project, noting that the vacant lot is currently home to many undomiciled people.
Attempts to placate neighbors of the project include numerous design elements that will reportedly enhance the visual appeal of the warehouse, including cypress trees, wall vines and a mural.

Shelter Realty Property Management specializes in the areas of  Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – The Boy Scouts of America Las Vegas Area Council’s camp, located in Mount Potosi near the Las Vegas Valley, will soon have 1,150 acres of land converted into luxury homes if a local commercial brokerage’s asking price of $90 million is met by an interested developer, according to reports.

Brokerage firm Newmark Knight Frank is put out a press release advertising the sale of the land – known as the Spencer W. Kimball Scout Reservation – is situated at an elevation of 5,800 feet and is currently ripe for development. The release notes that the land could accommodate approximately 1,250 units, ranging from single-family homes located on 3-acre lots as well as attached town houses and condominiums.

The land offers a great chance for an enterprising entrepreneur to take advantage of the current skyrocketing economic climate in the Southern Nevada region with such an investment, according to Newmark Knight Frank executive managing director Curt Allsop.

“The Mount Potosi Canyon Road land offers an extraordinary opportunity for developers, as the potential acquisition of 1,150 acres of contiguous land in one transaction has not existed in Las Vegas for many years,” he said in the firm’s statement. “Located just outside of Las Vegas in a striking natural environment offering unequaled views, the site’s remarkable attributes, combined with the traditional price points of a master-planned community will allow for luxury living without the luxury price tag.”

The Boy Scouts of America Las Vegas Area Council has operated the Spencer W. Kimball Scout Reservation for over 60 years, but a recent decision by the council in regards to their resource and financial management has lead to their decision to engage the services of Newmark Knight Frank to market the property for potential sale. The current asking price of $90 million comes out to just over $78,000 an acre.

Shelter Realty Property Management specializes in the areas of  Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – The downtown Las Vegas skyline as of late is littered with numerous cranes and other pieces of construction equipment, giving visitors plenty to look at as the area undergoes a serious period of development not seen in decades.

Nearly 60% of Las Vegas visitors stop by downtown, and most of those do so because of Fremont Street Experience. Our crown jewel is the massive Viva Vision canopy featuring free light shows nightly.

One of the most noticeable construction projects in the region is the Circa Resort & Casino, situated at the corner of Main Street and the Fremont Street Experience. Upon completion, the Circa will have 777 guest rooms, five restaurants, a two-level casino, one of the largest sports books in Las Vegas, and a nine-story parking garage dubbed “Garage Mahal.” Above the casino will be a rooftop deck and amphitheater with six swimming pools and a 125-foot screen. It is expected to open in December 2020.

Also under development in the downtown area is the third tower of the Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino, a seven-floor, 495-room expansion scheduled for completion by the middle of next year. Located at 3rd Street and East Ogden Avenue, the Downtown Grand currently has two hotel towers- an 18-story Casino Tower built in 1985 with 295 rooms, and a 25-story Grand Tower with 334 rooms. The East Tower is connected to the ground level casino. The completion of the third tower will boost the overall number of rooms in the Downtown Grand to 1,124.

And yet another construction project with high-visibility in the Las Vegas downtown area is the ongoing renovation of Viva Vision, a LED display “canopy” that runs along the Fremont Street Experience promenade from Main Street to Fourth Street. 

Currently, Viva Vision is the world’s current largest video screen. Originally, nearly 2.1 million incandescent lights were housed in the canopy. With the completion of the $17 million upgrade, more than 12 million LED lamps will illuminate the overhead canopy. The new LED upgrade was designed and engineered by LG Electronics, who is also the primary corporate sponsor of the canopy. Within the canopy itself are 220 speakers powered by 550,000 watts of amplification. Light and sound shows are presented nightly beginning at dusk on the Viva Vision video screen.

Shelter Realty Property Management specializes in the areas of  Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – The Majestic Las Vegas, the latest luxury resort hotel to call Sin City home, is slated to offer a different experience than many of the establishments in town when it opens its doors for business in 2023.

Eschewing gambling and other similar activities, The Majestic will instead exclusively focus on a growing field in the hotel world- health and wellness.
From outward appearances, The Majestic – estimated to cost a whopping $850 million – will most likely look like your run-of-the-mill luxury high-rise, offering 720 suites, six gourmet restaurants, a 50 cabana pool area, and theaters for live entertainment. However, at the very heart of the hotel will be a unique attraction- a four-level, fitness and nutrition spa center featuring state-of-the-art facilities and services such as exercise classes, full-body treatments, and more.

Catering to clientele that wish to avoid the Las Vegas gambling scene – again, there will be no high-stakes betting or games of chance on the premises – The Majestic will feature a contemporary design inspired by the iconic La Concha Motel originally constructed in 1961. 

The Majestic will also cater to Las Vegas’ business community, with levels 51 through 60 – dubbed “Sky Suites” – offering 25,000 square feet of space that is fully customizable and reconfigurable for the needs of any businesses that may decide to take up residence in the hotel. These business tenants will have full access to the hotel’s amenities, as well as a private concierge and a dedicated Owner’s Club.

The Majestic is slated to be constructed upon the six-acre location of the former Clarion Hotel – just two blocks from the Las Vegas Strip – and will be situated directly across from the new Las Vegas Convention Center, which is due to open in 2021. If all goes according to plan, The Majestic, with its emphasis on health and wellness, will offer an interesting new twist to the Southern Nevada tourism trade by giving guests a healthy respite from the excesses that Las Vegas is known world-wide for.

Shelter Realty Property Management specializes in the areas of  Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – Recently, Las Vegas city officials and business leaders discussed the status of a proposed and oft-delayed high-speed train between Las Vegas and California, a project that is now seemingly going forward with a estimated construction start date of 2020, according to reports.

The service, which will serve as a conduit between the two regions for upwards of 22 million people, has been in the on again/off again planning stages since the late 1990’s. However, developer Virgin Trains USA has stated that they are ready to begin development after similar railways that they have developed and maintained in Florida have proven to be successful, giving them an established model to adhere to with the Vegas equivalent. 

The project overall is expected to take approximately three years to complete, with the railway to cover the distance between the Las Vegas Strip and Victorville, California, a 75 minute-long trip; the distance – about 185 miles – is cited by Virgin Trains USA as being too close to fly, but too far to drive, thus making a railway line an ideal solution for commuters and travelers between the two cities. 

Construction of the railway system – which will run alongside Interstate 15 and will reach speeds of 150 miles per hour – is expected to be privately-funded, according to reports.

A railway connecting LA and Vegas would prove beneficial to both, as each city features a robust business climate that a dedicated train line would help to grow. Establishing a direct, fast and easy commute would help their overall job markets and provide a means for companies to recruit more widely to suit their needs. Currently, the 15 freeway serves as the most direct means of travel between LA and Vegas, in addition to air travel, which can be cost-prohibitive for most commuters. Train service, in contrast, would be very affordable.

Shelter Realty Property Management specializes in the areas of  Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – Experts have recently noted that the Las Vegas real estate market has settled into a degree of stability that the region has not seen for 20 years, according to reports. This comes after a period of skyrocketing growth that followed one of the worst recessions Vegas has seen when the housing bubble burst in the mid-2000’s.

Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors President Janet Carpenter recently stated that there are a number of factors that figure into this determination, including home price appreciation slowing to a more gradual rate than the region has seen in years. 

Sales and the amount of homes on the market has also approached a greater degree of synchronicity, reports say. In July, 3,159 single-family homes were purchased, representing an 8.8 percent increase from June yet only a slight decrease of 0.8 percent from the same time period one year prior. The median sales price of those homes was $303,000, showing only a dip of 0.3 percent from the previous month with an increase of 8.8 percent from July 2018.

As for the available inventory on the Las Vegas real estate market, 7,808 homes were for sale without current offers at the close of July, which represents over a 63 percent increase from 2018 but only a 0.1 decrease from June 2019.

Clearly, the market is falling into a more sustainable pattern than it has seen in some time, when a previous lack of inventory coupled with massive demand caused home prices to swell at a record rate that many experts feared would lead to affordability concerns down the road. This was a major concern, as Vegas was often seen as a more affordable alternative to neighboring states such as California, where the escalating cost of living was actually driving some residents out. 

However, a greater amount of homes on the market are helping to reign in skyrocketing home price growth and are giving potential home-buyers more options, leading to an overall more stable marketplace for Las Vegas’ future.

Shelter Realty Property Management specializes in the areas of  Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – The Las Vegas Sphere, a 400,000-square-foot, 18,000-seat, 360-foot-tall globe-shaped arena slated to be constructed on 63 acres of property located behind the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, is currently running over initial cost estimates. As a result, the ambitious project – helmed by developer Madison Square Garden Co. – may cost upwards of $500 million more than first projected, inflating its final price tag to as much as $1.7 billion, reports say.

Originally, Madison Square Garden Co. – in conjunction with partner Las Vegas Sands Corp. – had estimated the cost of the high-tech stadium at $1.2 billion, which was contrasted recently when the contractor of the project, AECOM, announced that costs are more likely in the range of $1.7 billion.

The discrepancy, according to reports, may come from the difference between initial budgeting and forecasting based on schematic designs available at the start of construction – ground was officially broken one year ago – and high costs that AECOM has noted they are encountering throughout the process of physically bringing the complex designs to life. Madison Square Garden Co. has reportedly stated that they feel this new $1.7 billion estimate is too high, and is “in the process of reviewing and challenging those assumptions.”

The Sphere will cater to musical performances and concerts, as well as potentially occasional boxing or MMA contests. Once completed, the interior of will feature a 180,000-square-foot ceiling with massive video screens for attendees to watch, as well as floor-based bass speaker system to appeal to concert and club-goers on evenings when electronic dance music acts take the MSG Sphere stage, giving the music venue a multi-genre and event capability. The Sphere is expected to be completed in 2021.

Shelter Realty Property Management specializes in the areas of  Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS,, NV – Matter Real Estate Group recently broke ground on the Matter Logistics Center, a $70-million, 725,000-square-foot industrial/warehouse project situated on a 41 acre plot of land that its developer noted will combine modern design with high functionality and will welcome both new and current businesses upon its completion in February 2020.

Located in North Las Vegas, only a few miles from the famed Las Vegas Strip and in proximity to both I-15 and US 95 – ensuring ease of access to all – Matter Logistics Center will serve as a high-tech home to numerous corporate clients and their businesses, according to Matter’s official statements. Its centralized location will make it a vital part of the region’s distribution and operations, as well as tourist and convention corridors.

There will be a total of five buildings on the site – varying in size and scope – that will offer a variety of amenities for tenants, including space for warehouses, distribution, showrooms, and offices, with available square footage ranging from 11,000 to nearly 480,000 square-feet. Units will feature docking and loading facilities that can be customized as needed for truck height and other specifications. There will also be plenty of space for vehicle parking and storage for trailers, reports say.

Matter Real Estate Group made headlines recently when they revealed plans for another high-profile mixed-use project in the Las Vegas area- the “Un-Commons,” located at Durango Drive and Interstate 215. A “Town Square” of sorts designed to cater to the needs of the tenants who live and work there, the Un-Commons will offer numerous exercise, relaxation, food, shopping, and entertainment options, all within walking distance of both an employee’s place of work and the project’s luxury apartment complex.

Matter also recently broke ground on Phase one of Matter Park at West Henderson, a 475,000-square-foot light industrial office/warehouse project, and is nearly finished developing Matter Park at Warm Springs, a 156,000-square-foot Class A industrial facility in North Las Vegas.

Shelter Realty Property Management specializes in the areas of  Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – According to reports, the Hard Rock Hotel of Las Vegas will close its doors in February 2020, after which it will undergo eight months of renovations and will emerge without its iconic name. Instead, it will be rebranded as Virgin Hotels Las Vegas upon it’s re-opening, a move that was originally announced back in March 2018 when the hotel was purchased by Virgin Hotels in partnership with a group of investment firms.

The previous plan called for the hotel to remain partially open throughout the renovation process, only to be closed for four months. However, those plans have been changed, and the hotel will now be closed throughout the entire renovation, according to a statement released by Richard Bosworth, President and CEO of JC Hospitality, one of the investment firms that now owns the Hard Rock Hotel in conjunction with Virgin.

We determined that a phased closing of four months, followed by a total closure of four months was not efficient from a construction process nor could we provide a hospitality service experience our guests deserve,” he said. “Therefore an approximate eight-month closure would be most efficient and ensure a timely opening prior to January 2021. We might be ready in October, but construction is an imperfect process. Until early February 2020 it is business as usual at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. Virgin Hotels Las Vegas promises to be one of the most exciting, vibrant, and anticipated properties to open in Las Vegas in years.”

The hotel is slated to close in February 2020, possibly after the Super Bowl on Feb. 2 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Remaining entertainment and music performances scheduled for the Hard Rock before it closes include Brian Wilson and The Zombies, Cake & Ben Folds, Greta Van Fleet, Daughtry, Stone Temple Pilots and comedian Demetri Martin. 

Features of the property include the hotel tower, a 30,000-square-foot casino, Tahitian-style beach and swimming pool, a nightclub, six restaurants, three cocktail lounges, several retail stores, a spa, a poker room, and “The Joint,” a music venue. The property is located on 16.7 acres on the corner of Harmon and Paradise Road.

Shelter Realty Property Management specializes in the areas of  Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – According to reports, despite the fact that rental prices for apartments in the Las Vegas area have increased over the past 12 months more than any other major U.S. metropolitan area in the United States, the market is nonetheless still considered by experts as remaining quite healthy and affordable, especially compared to neighboring states such as California.

In a recently-released Zillow report, the median rent in Las Vegas for all property types was $1,435, which represents a 10 percent jump from the same period one year prior. However, local realtors are disputing this figure, noting that the median rental price is more around $1,100; this price is made possible by the fact that developers have been working long and hard over the past year to construct more apartments and condos to satisfy the rapidly-growing demand for affordable housing options in Vegas.

However, reports note, developers have not quite met housing demands as of yet; Clark County occupancy is currently at 95 percent, which is considered the hallmark of a healthy rental market, and further stability of the market would be ensured if more building was completed.

Experts say that Las Vegas’ prices are still considered a bargain, especially when compared to regions where rental prices have increased to points where the cost of living has become prohibitive, such as Seattle, Washington or California’s Bay Area.

Recognizing Las Vegas’ need to expand its rental options in order to further lower prices, developers have been hiring in droves in order to bolster their workforces; experts note that apartments can’t be built fast enough, and that the market has yet to completely recover from the lack of construction activity that took place in Vegas during the recession, a time when numerous projects where either abandoned or outright cancelled. 

Another factor that real estate experts say will be affecting the market in the near future is the impact that professional sports will have upon rentals in Las Vegas; once the Las Vegas Raiders NFL Football team begins hosting home games in the city at the start of their 2020 season, demand for rental units – which are typically cheaper than renting hotel suites for ten or more games per year – will likely increase even more as fans of the team flood the city on a regular basis.

Shelter Realty Property Management specializes in the areas of  Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.

LAS VEGAS, NV – According to reports, Developer Lorenzo Doumani announced this week that ground will be broken in 2020 on his newest project- the Majestic Las Vegas, a non-gaming hotel to be constructed at 305 Convention Center Drive, the site of the former Clarion hotel which was demolished in 2015.

The Majestic Las Vegas, a project with a whopping $850 million price tag, is slated to be a 45-story high-rise consisting of 720 rooms with numerous amenities for guests, including all-purpose space for conventions and meeting rooms as well as restaurants and a wellness/medical spa that would be able to offer physical examinations as well as professional advice on diet and exercise.

Reports indicate that the projected ground-breaking for the Majestic is slated to for May, with work then quickly progressing with an anticipated completion date being set in the first quarter of 2023.

The Majestic Las Vegas project has been in the works for a number of years and was postponed several times while changing in scope and form; these changes were due to the rising costs of construction in the Las Vegas region at the time, necessitating changes in order to keep the project realistically affordable. 

The Majestic was originally announced by Doumani in 2004 as a 42-story condominium tower accompanied by Hilton’s Conrad Las Vegas, but was redesigned numerous times over the course of several years until Hilton – which had just been sold to the Blackstone group – pulled out of the project in 2007. Shortly afterward, Majestic Resorts filed a request for arbitration against Hilton and the undeveloped property was sold that year for $180 million.

In May 2019, Doumani received county approval to build Majestic Las Vegas on the former six-acre site of the nearby Clarion Hotel and Casino, which he had imploded four years earlier. The hotel will be located near the Las Vegas Convention Center and the Las Vegas Strip.

Shelter Realty Property Management specializes in the areas of  Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to give us a call at 702.376.7379 so we can answer any questions you may have.