City survey says most Henderson residents like arena

About 70 percent of Henderson residents said in a survey that they think a 6,000-seat minor league hockey arena would be good for the city, according to results released by the city on Thursday.

The proposed arena is slated to replace the Henderson Pavilion near Green Valley and Paseo Verde parkways.

Responses to the survey were recorded through the web and by phone. It was conducted by Discovery Nevada, a partnership between Applied Analysis and Discovery Research Group. Nearly 400 residents of the state’s second-largest city were surveyed during March and April.

According to the survey:

■ 71 percent of residents think the project would be good for Henderson.

■ 71 percent think a minor league hockey team will be good for the city.

■ 69 percent “strongly support” or “somewhat support” redeveloping the pavilion into an arena.

■ 11 percent thought the project would have a negative effect on their home value.

Respondents from the 89012 ZIP code, where the arena would be located, made up 12.5 percent of those surveyed. And 15 percent of those surveyed were not homeowners.

The survey referred to the hockey arena as an “entertainment venue.” The proposed arena would be home to the future American Hockey League affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights.

Results from the survey come after a group of Henderson residents publicly expressed frustration with the project, which was announced during the State of the City address in February.

Some have taken issue with the prospect of increased traffic and changing the neighborhood. After the coronavirus pandemic swept through Nevada, residents turned their concern to the fiscal impact of taking on the project.

One opponent of the project, John Dalrymple, spokesman of a group called the Henderson Coalition for Responsible Government, said he received a call for the survey, which he claimed asked leading questions.

“It was entirely and thoroughly skewed to generate the answers they were looking for,” he said.

In a statement, Assistant City Manager Robert Herr said the project would take advantage of low interest rates, create jobs and generate investment in the area. He said the footprint of the building would be similar in size to the existing pavilion.

“We are committed to a design that would be compatible with the area that includes more onsite parking, traffic improvements, outdoor enhancements and the addition of onsite amenities,” Herr said. “There has never been a better time for the city to invest in its community to help expedite Henderson’s recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.”

In April, the city authorized the issuance of $60 million in general obligation bonds, paving the way for a funding agreement with the Knights for the arena. Mayor Debra March has said city would contribute up to $40 million, but the city has since called that figure premature. Officials have not announced exactly how much the city would contribute to the project.

Officials say the arena would be home to a variety of year-round events, including hockey.

“The (Knights) organization would be making a significant matching investment commitment that would help to create a first-class venue not just for hockey, but scores of other events for the benefit of the entire community,” City Manager Richard Derrick said in a statement.

The council needs to approve the project before it can move forward.

More information can be found on the project’s website.

Contact Blake Apgar at bapgar@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5298. Follow @blakeapgar on Twitter.