Proposed garage next to fuel tanks at Las Vegas airport raises concerns

A proposed new parking garage next to large fuel tanks at Las Vegas’ airport has raised “numerous safety and security concerns” for aviation officials, county records indicate.

Clark County commissioners are scheduled Wednesday to consider plans filed by developer American Nevada Co. for a six-story garage just north of Terminal 1 at Harry Reid International Airport. The 3.8-acre project site currently has a building — occupied by airline-food supplier Sky Chefs — that would get demolished to clear space for the garage, plans show.

The new structure would have more than 2,200 standard parking stalls and solar panels over most of the top level, according to a county staff report, which said the garage would also be “shielded” on the side that borders the fuel tanks.

County staff recommended approval of the project, which has a lengthy list of preliminary staff conditions, including security measures.

Parking availability can be tight at Reid International, especially in the garage and adjacent surface lot at Terminal 1. The terminal is home to Las Vegas’ busiest carrier, Southwest Airlines, and other domestic airlines.

Still, the Clark County Department of Aviation, which operates Reid International, contends that the proposed garage’s design “presents numerous safety and security concerns” due to its proximity to the fuel tanks, the staff report shows.

American Nevada and Swissport, which provides fueling services at the airport, did not respond to requests for comment.

American Nevada, launched in the 1970s by the late Las Vegas Sun publisher Hank Greenspun and his late wife, Barbara, is perhaps best-known for developing Henderson’s Green Valley master-planned community.

Airport spokesman Luke Nimmo said Monday that the aviation department’s comments “reflect routine operational considerations applied to any project proposed near the airport,” and that as with similar developments, it evaluates potential impacts.

‘Direct line of sight’

The project site is next to the airport’s east side “fuel farm,” and the garage would provide an “elevated, direct line of sight” to large jet-fuel tanks and other secure areas of the airport, according to the aviation department.

Plus, the rooftop solar panels would be in “very close proximity” to runways, and glint or glare from lighting and reflective surfaces “can create a hazard” for pilots, the department said, as seen in the county staff report.

The project is on the county commission’s list of so-called routine action items Wednesday. Commissioners can approve those matters in one vote, without discussing individual items, although items can be pulled and heard separately.

The gunman who opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest music festival on the Strip on Oct. 1, 2017, killing 58 people that night and injuring hundreds more, also fired at fuel tanks on the airport’s west side, closer to Las Vegas Boulevard.

He struck a large tank twice but did not cause much visible damage, a police report shows.

After the shooting, Reuters reported that contrary to popular belief, there is virtually zero likelihood of gunshots triggering a fire or explosion at a jet-fuel facility.

‘Crash mitigation rail’

In more recent years, a hotel-casino project along airport property drew safety and security concerns over its location, too.

Developers of the now-stalled Dream Las Vegas made a series of design changes to the project near the south edge of the Strip, including enhanced security measures, after facing concerns from the Transportation Security Administration and major airlines due to the site’s proximity to the airport.

The TSA worried the project would increase risks to planes and passengers “due to active shooters and the ability to throw things over the fence.” The agency also feared that Dream’s proposed service road would make its border with the airport more susceptible to bombs hidden in such vehicles as garbage trucks, county records show.

Airlines feared the potential for illegal drone flying, bright lights and laser lights.

County commissioners approved the resort project in fall 2021.

Among the preliminary conditions for the proposed new garage: Before building permits are issued, the developer must obtain aviation department approval of a barrier for the project site’s western edge, which borders the fuel tanks.

The barrier must include a “vehicle crash mitigation rail” that is designed to withstand a 15,000-pound vehicle at 50 mph, according to the staff report.

The developer must also build a solid wall along the western and northern perimeters of the garage’s roof level “to eliminate any physical view” of the jet-fuel tanks and airfield — a measure that aims to boost safety and security by “reducing visibility and targeting risks,” the staff report shows.

Contact Eli Segall at esegall@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0342.