Aerial Vegas: Man-Made Wonders from the Sky

Lake Las Vegas

Just a little farther north of Lake Mead, you may spot another one-to,e debacle to rival Ascaya. But at least this one actually was completed before falling apart. Lake Las Vegas Resort is a troubled destination of hotels, residences, golf courses, shops, restaurants, and for a short while...a casino.

The centerpiece of this resort community is a 320-acre artificial lake that was built atop the Las Vegas Wash. The wash feeds contaminated…and radioactive…run-off from the Vegas valley into Lake Mead (keep that in mind if you’re ever planning a boating or swimming excursion there). Filling of the new lake began in 1990, and over 3,500 acres of land surrounding it were made available for retail and housing development.

Since then, Lake Las Vegas Resort has had a depressing history of closures, lawsuits, and massive debt. Hotels have been closed, re-opened by other owners, and then closed again. Like Ascaya, the need for housing has made Lake Las Vegas more appealing, and its reputation has improved greatly. In 2020, the project was selected as Gold Award Winner for Southern Nevada Planned Communities by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. If you'd like to spend a quiet weekend there, Westin Resort/Spa and Hilton Resort/Spa are the current hospitality destinations.