The developers behind The Reserve at Red Rock Canyon are one step closer to building an artificial lake at Bonnie Springs. According to Save Red Rock, the Clark County Planning Commission voted Tuesday to approve a related zoning amendment that would allow bodies of water for fire suppression and other safety purposes. The proposal now heads to the Clark County Commission for a vote on Nov. 18.
The idea has met resistance from Save Red Rock, which raised questions about the lake's size, design, and source for water in a desert environment where it’s already scarce.
Consider the request a sign of progress for a development that's moved slowly since a ceremonial groundbreaking in 2022. Water lines, fire hydrants, and other infrastructure were completed, although homebuilder Blue Heron had hoped to begin construction last year on properties where lots alone have a starting price of $6.6 million. It’s worth noting that seven additional lots next to The Reserve for single-family homes were approved by the county in September.
The legacy of Bonnie Springs dates back to 1843, when it was a stop for wagon trains traveling to and from California on the Old Spanish Trail. It later became a tourist attraction as a replica of an Old West town that included a motel, petting zoo, restaurant, and staged gunfights before it was closed in 2019 and demolished. The ranch was also home to the annual Bonnie Screams Halloween attraction. A petition earned more than 90,000 signatures, but failed to preserve the property as a historic landmark.
The family of Bonnie Springs Ranch founder Bonnie Levinson, who died in 2016, sold the 64-acre site for $25 million to Joel Laub and J. Randall Jones in 2019. The two developers grew up visiting the area as children and promised an environmentally sensitive residential community that would also welcome the general public with a restaurant and other amenities.
Although located within the boundaries of the federally protected Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Bonnie Springs is a privately owned inholding, much like Blue Diamond, Calico Basin, Spring Mountain Ranch, and portions of the gypsum mine property.
- Do you have memories of Bonnie Springs to share? Email us! 📬
