Opponents of proposed Las Vegas development accused of extortion

The opponents of a residential project on the shuttered Badlands golf course are trying to extort the developer behind the proposal, the company claims in a legal filing.

In the brief filed last week, Las Vegas developer EHB Cos. claims development opponents “engaged in a scheme to create misinformation and political opposition” in an effort to enrich themselves.

A group of property owners within the course-adjacent Queensridge development filed a lawsuit in December 2015 against three limited liability companies associated with the course and the city of Las Vegas. A hearing on a motion to dismiss the case is scheduled for Thursday morning in Clark County District Court.

The developers say attorney Frank Schreck, in a December 2015 meeting, “openly revealed that he wanted 180 acres, with valuable water rights, deeded to him and his group, and only then would they allow” the development of the remaining 250-acre golf course owned by the companies named in the lawsuit, court documents show.

Schreck says the 180 acres can’t be developed — one of the fundamental disagreements in the case. The complaint says Schreck suggested those 180 acres be given to the homeowners association or otherwise preserved as open space, along with some of the water rights to keep the area green.

“When Mr. Schreck was asked what he wanted to pay for the 180 acres and water rights, Schreck said ‘not a penny,’” the filing said. “This attempt at extortion was promptly reported to the FBI.”

Schreck called the allegations “absolutely untrue.”

“If they think this frightens me — it only invigorates me,” Schreck said.

Schreck denies he was seeking personal gain. He said he doesn’t want the land.

A separate lawsuit over the development plans, brought by Queensridge residents Robert and Nancy Peccole, was dismissed in November. The ruling called that lawsuit’s claims baseless.

EHB Cos. has been awarded more than $128,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs.

The Las Vegas City Council spent hours discussing the proposal in November, only to delay it twice. The council is expected to take up the proposal again this month.

The golf course stopped operating in December.

Contact Jamie Munks at jmunks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0340. Follow @JamieMunksRJ on Twitter.