Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery receives expansion grant

The Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery has received a grant of more than $5 million from the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop 7.5 acres at the cemetery in Boulder City.

"We are incredibly grateful to Undersecretary (Steve) Muro and the National Cemetery Administration ...for continuing to invest in our state veteran memorial cemeteries," Gov. Brian Sandoval said Tuesday in announcing the grant.

"Their continued support not only allows us to continue to serve Nevada's veterans and their families with the highest level of dignity, honor and respect, but it is also a testament to the remarkable care and service provided by our teams," Sandoval said in a statement.

Construction under the grant will include some 4,000 replacement crypts and 4,000 wall compartments for holding cremation urns. The state vets cemetery in Boulder City is undergoing a three-phase expansion. A grant of $3.5 million was awarded to the cemetery last year for construction of an administration building, roads, landscaping and other facilities.

The nearest national veterans cemetery is in Riverside, Calif., about 245 miles from the Las Vegas Valley, and the next closest state vets cemetery is in Northern Nevada's Fernley, about 440 miles from Las Vegas.

Contact reporter Keith Rogers at krogers@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0308.