The YMCA of Southern Nevada has been awarded the contract to operate a new $18 million recreation center by the city of North Las Vegas.
The 36,000-square-foot SkyView Multi-Generational Center is scheduled to open on June 1, according to a Y statement. It will feature a 5,000-square-foot fitness center with cardio and strength equipment, an indoor swimming pool with lap lanes and instruction areas, several group exercise studios, locker rooms and common areas for socializing and relaxing.
City council members approved the city’s contract with the Y last week. Maryann Ustick, the acting city manager, said in a statement that she was pleased that the public-private partnership would enable North Las Vegas to offer recreational amenities and programs for residents of all ages.
When construction on the center began in June 2009, it was scheduled to open in 2010 as the city’s third full-service community recreation center. North Las Vegas began soliciting proposals for the center’s operation and management services contract in October 2010. The bidding process was open only to non-profit organizations that qualified for tax-exempt status.
In November 2010, several area media outlets reported that the city had made the decision to find an outside operator because it was unable to operate the facility due to budget cuts.
Nevada was one of the states hit hardest by the recent recession, and its economic recovery has lagged behind that of most other states and the national average. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state’s jobless rate increased slightly to 14.5 percent in December of last year, just as the national unemployment rate fell to 9.4 percent.