The footprint for Coyote Springs' first golf course is five holes large at the moment.
It's the latest sign of development on 42,000 isolated acres owned by Reno attorney Harvey Whittemore, the force behind the golf-centered, master-planned community that will feature the second PGA village to go up in the United States.
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Grading for the initial phase of Coyote Springs' signature course -- one of six that could be built on Clark County land -- was inspected by Whittemore on Tuesday. He was accompanied by golf superstar and course designer Jack Nicklaus. Both men liked the shape of what they saw, Whittemore for the progress it represents in realizing his vision and Nicklaus for the promising start it gives his first Coyote Springs project.
"It has great vistas," Nicklaus said after visiting the site about 50 miles north of Las Vegas. "It's very interesting land."
That's important to Nicklaus, whose philosophy in design is to use existing land features to shape a course rather than create everything from scratch. People who only drive by the site might think they're looking at a flat desert landscape, Nicklaus said, but the property -- especially around the second hole -- has great movement, with lots of hills and valleys.
"I promise, it will be a playable course," said Nicklaus, who has designed 35 courses that various publications have ranked as being among the world's top 100.
Coyote Springs is a project Whittemore conceptualized in the mid-1990s. Its history includes early opposition from environmentalists and conservationists concerned about the impact urbanization will have on the undeveloped Coyote Springs Valley.
It's been the source of intermittent wrangling about water issues among officials from the Southern Nevada Water Authority, Whittemore, and elected representatives of Lincoln County. And it stands out now as the only mega-development going sideways instead of vertical, as Las Vegas builders reach for the sky in the current vogue of high-rise construction.
Whittemore, a veteran lobbyist who has represented most of Nevada's high-profile interests, such as gaming, liquor and development, remains convinced that the attractions of Coyote Springs guarantee success. That, even as real estate market observers speculate about the possibility of slowed growth and the deflation of the Las Vegas housing bubble that's sent property values soaring.
"We're comfortable with our ability to attract customers who want to live in a brand new sort of community," Whittemore said.
Pardee Homes has already purchased 8,000 acres at Coyote Springs and may be opening model home sites sometime in 2007. Whittemore plans a full spectrum of housing options, ranging from condominiums to luxury homes. Whittemore said he has considered the impact the commute might have on home buyers, but he said market trends have proven that people are willing to relocate in the name of affordable housing. There are already people living in Pahrump who make the trek into Vegas daily, Whittemore said.
Model homes won't be the first buildings to rise at Coyote Springs. The PGA village announced in 2004 will emerge first. The parent company behind the project, Coyote Springs Investment, recently awarded the construction contract for the PGA village to Martin-Harris Construction, which plans to begin the initial construction phase of the clubhouse within the next 90 days. The 22-acre village includes a welcome center, a PGA learning center, an events center and a general store.
Frank Martin, president and CEO of Martin-Harris, said the contract is a coup for his company because of its prestige and scope. But it does present potential problems on two fronts: labor and construction materials.
"Our special challenge, quite simply, is getting a labor force out there," Martin said.
With all the building happening in the Las Vegas area, Martin said, construction workers don't need to drive distances to get employment. That's why his company and Whittemore are looking at a proposal to provide daily transportation to and from the Coyote Springs site.
Another challenge is the shortage of raw materials used to make PVC piping. Major manufacturers of the raw materials needed for that are in the Gulf states, and hurricanes that swept through that region this year closed them down.
"The rising prices of construction materials is a major, major concern for us," Martin said.
Keith Schwer, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at UNLV, said growth in Las Vegas is likely to slow. An indicator of that is a decline in the number of out-of-state licenses being turned in to the Department of Motor Vehicles.
But since growth will continue and the appetite for housing, especially affordable housing for the middle class, is acute, Schwer said, products like Coyote Springs will likely prove attractive, even if it involves a commute.
That's something Whittemore is counting on.
"Even if there's a pullback in the total demand, it won't go to zero," Whittemore said. "And if you build a quality product, people are going to want it."
