Lake Las Vegas aims to be casual

John Plunkett senior vice president of Transcontinental Corp., parent company for Lake Las Vegas Resort, and his wife Michelle, a Realtor and sales advisor with Innovative Resort Communities, one of the resort's home building partners, said they knew they had a variety of choices when it came to buying a home within Lake Las Vegas Resort.

The Plunketts chose a gated enclave of villa-style homes behind the fairways of The Falls golf course. The development of Casa Palermo is one of 19 luxury developments at Lake Las Vegas.

For many years the Plunketts commuted from a Henderson suburb to the resort. Then as the fifth of their blended family of six sons had grown up and moved on, the couple was ready to downsize.

"When the first project in Phase II of Lake Las Vegas development was underway, Michelle and I knew it was time to make our move," John Plunkett said.

Built by Woodside Homes, Casa Palermo's offers Italian Renaissance architecture combined with contemporary features. With a backdrop of the mountains, The Falls golf course and MonteLago Village in the distance, the Plunketts said it was the view that sold them.

"We've got great views from virtually every room," John Plunkett said. "I particularly enjoy looking at the mountains around sunrise. Almost like clockwork, there are five to ten bighorn sheep that come down to forage on the hills. It's a great sight to behold."

The couple's four-bedroom, 3 1/2 bath villa features a detached casita off an open-air courtyard that they use as a guest house. Michelle Plunkett said the design allowed them to include upgrades to their home. One such upgrade includes a soaking pool with waterfall on their back patio. "Whenever we're here, we feel like we're in our own personal playground, we're on vacation," Plunkett said.

Lake Las Vegas is a residential-resort destination encompassing a privately owned 320-acre lake, located 17 miles from the Las Vegas Strip. Within the 3,592-acre resort are three championship golf courses, a casino, full-service marinas and a retail village with water's edge restaurants.

To visit, take Interstate 215 , the Las Vegas Beltway east to the freeway's end at Lake Mead Parkway. Continue east on Lake Mead Parkway to Lake Las Vegas Parkway, turn left and follow the directional signs to the Information Pavilion. The pavilion is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, call 564-1600 or visit LakeLasVegas.com.