Henderson mayor focuses on economic development, growing population in state of city address

Mayor Andy Hafen reflected on Henderson’s journey from once being the type of place that “people couldn’t wait to leave” to becoming a city where people could “have a business and work and raise a family” during his final state of the city address Thursday.

He focused on Henderson’s expanding economic development and growing population on the cusp of 300,000, describing the city’s continuing march toward becoming the second largest city in Nevada.

Speaking to about 950 people at Green Valley Ranch Resort, an emotional Hafen praised the city’s small-town feel, yet blooming economy.

The mayor said Henderson Hospital — which opened in late October — is performing better than expected and new services will be added to include a neonatal intensive care unit later this year.

Construction also is slated to begin this year on a Las Vegas Athletic Club fitness center, a 125-bed skilled nursing facility, an acute care hospital and assisted living, independent living and memory care facilities as part of the $1.2 billion, 170-acre Union Village project, Hafen said.

“With plans for upscale family and senior housing, retail and entertainment, Union Village is poised to be the first medical tourism and wellness destination in the state,” he said.

Adjacent to the Union Village project, Hafen said, a $9.9 million, 29,000-square-foot medical pavilion from Dignity Health is scheduled to open early this year — making it the first in Southern Nevada. The medical pavilion is designed to offer a one-stop shop providing convenient access to primary, specialty, urgent and diagnostic health care services.

As he spoke about the city’s growing population — set to hit 300,000 by the end of this month or early next — Hafen touted the newest master-planned communities. Cadence and Inspirada alone are set to add nearly 22,000 new residential units to the city, he said.

Hafen specifically noted the area between the South 15 Airport Center and the Henderson Freeway Crossing project where more than 1 million square feet of industrial property is available.

An additional 144,000 square feet will be developed and available for lease later this year, he said.

Hafen also cited prospects for further growth and development on Water Street as Cadence continues to expand and a mixed use development project from Tate-Snyder-Kimsey nears completion.

Hafen touted some of the new and expanding businesses in the city, including Turano Bakery, Pro Caps and TH Foods. In addition, the city is scheduled to open the state’s first two Chick-Fil-A outlets on Jan. 26.

“For 30 years I’ve been privileged to carry the Henderson torch. A torch that I will soon pass to someone else,” Hafen said at the end of his eighth and final state of the city address. “For everything we were and everything we are today, I believe that Henderson’s best days are yet to come.”

Contact Sandy Lopez at slopez@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4686. Follow @JournalismSandy on Twitter.