Aliante, North Las Vegas

Aliante is a master-planned community located in North Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2001, American Nevada Corporation and Del Webb Corporation formed North Valley Enterprises, which purchased 1,900 acres (770 ha) of land in the city and began construction of the community a year later, with the opening held in May 2003.

Mike Montandon moved to North Las Vegas in 1992, at a time when 7,500 acres (3,000 ha) of land in the city, owned by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), was labeled for use as a future master-planned community. Montandon became the mayor of North Las Vegas in 1997, and pushed for the land to be sold as one contiguous piece. Approximately 1,900 acres (770 ha) were auctioned in May 2001. North Valley Enterprises, a joint-venture affiliate of Del Webb Corporation and American Nevada Corporation, won the auction with a $47.2-million bid, at approximately $25,000 per acre. On August 13, 2002, North Valley Enterprises announced the 1,900-acre Aliante master-planned community.

The community was ultimately expected to include 7,500 homes and 20,000 residents. D. R. Horton, KB Home, Pardee Homes and Pulte, four of the top six home builders in the Las Vegas Valley, were scheduled to begin construction on the community's first 1,750 homes in October 2002, with sales starting the following month and a grand opening set for April 2003. Most of Aliante's neighborhoods would be priced between $130,000 and $200,000, while some larger homes, starting at 3,000 sq ft (280 m²), would sell for $270,000.

North Valley Enterprises was required to set aside 22 percent of its property for public and recreation purposes, as part of its development agreement with the North Las Vegas government. The community would include a trail system, an 18-hole, 6,900-yard golf course, and 45 acres (18 ha) of park land that would include a man-made lake, an amphitheater, soccer fields and tennis and volleyball courts. Montandon said, "We had to walk that fine line between how much (land) we leave on the table for the developer and how much do we extract so the community of North Las Vegas benefits 10, 15, 20 years down the road." The entrance to Aliante, located at Simmons Street and the Las Vegas Beltway, would be marked by a 40-foot sculpture, accompanied by three lighted 16-foot walls and nine 12-foot waterfalls. John Kilduff, president of American Nevada, said about the upscale entrance: "So when you reach this community, you'll know that you've arrived." The community's logo features two flying birds, based on Aliante's concept according to Kilduff: "To create a tranquil environment based on nature and discovery. A place where families can soar to new heights."

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