Getting to center takes twists, turns

With the economy tanking and experts predicting this will be the flattest sales season in years, the planners behind Centennial Hills apparently have extended a favor to those of us with wallets tighter than Tiger Woods' lips.

You see, they built this massive shopping center with big box stores surely filled with really cool expensive stuff, but we can't get there. We can only view this spectacle from the freeway.

OK, OK, that's an exaggeration, brought on by a web of roads and freeways surrounding the shopping area that looks like an octopus stalking its prey. It's just difficult to find the road, or tentacle if you will, that actually takes you to the Centennial Hills Shopping Center.

Trust me, I tried after a reader named David posed a challenge to me: Head north on Highway 95 and find the shopping center.

"You will see the Centennial Hills mall, with Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, etc.," David said as if assigning a Mission Impossible. "It's too late. Once you see the mall, you've already passed the exit to get there. I challenge you to get there."

Before readers familiar with the center roll their eyes and call David and me names, I now realize this shopping mecca is not that difficult to locate if you know to take the Ann Road exit and make a right on Centennial Hills.

But here's the deal: The first sign of the shopping center is after the Ann Road overpass; an overpass berm blocks the small tower that reads "Centennial Gate," a gateway to the shopping area. So motorists would tend to veer off the freeway at the next available exit where another overpass that crosses the freeway is visible.

That exit forks, allowing access to Buffalo Drive or the Las Vegas Beltway. Not wanting to hop on another freeway when the center is so close, Buffalo appears to be the best choice. What's the big deal; loop around back over the highway and there we are, right? Nope. This is exactly where David wanted us.

Buffalo hit Sky Pointe, which carried traffic east back toward the stores. Then comes Frontage Road, which appears to have a bridge over Highway 95 and into Centennial Hills. The problem is, it doesn't. It actually leads to a roadblock or a right turn into a dirt parking lot. U-turn No. 1.

So maybe we continue on Sky Pointe, which turns into Centennial Parkway. Bingo, right? Nope, still on the wrong side of the freeway, and now we can't even see the shopping center. Here comes Tenaya Way and, thinking we've overshot the shopping center, I opt to turn left. This leads to U-turn No. 2.

At this point, I am recalling that former Clark County Commissioner Lance Malone had a hand in developing this area, and I'm wondering if he would unlock the secret ingress-egress map if I slipped him a velvet Crown Royal bag full of cash. But never mind; he's in prison. From Tenaya, a right on Azure Drive finally takes us across Highway 95, but I'd like to note that, before that crossing, we hit Sky Pointe again. OK, not sure where that came from, but whatever. Azure meets Centennial Hills Parkway and we've finally arrived. So, there, David.

Returning to Highway 95 north without backtracking is no easy task either. Signs to the Las Vegas Beltway and Highway 95 north appear twice on Centennial Hills. At Durango Drive, there are zero signs indicating a freeway is to the right, even though the Beltway is only a hundred yards away. One would then continue straight on Centennial Hills which, of course, leads to U-turn No. 3. U-turn No. 4 arrived when I figured Highway 95 must be north on Durango like the Beltway. It is, sort of, but it turns out you have to take the Beltway to get to the highway. Don't count on signage to inform you of this.

So here's a tip for the planners of Centennial Hills Shopping Center: Perhaps you should post signs guiding potential customers to your property. Perhaps this would provide a boost in your holiday sales.

If you have a question, tip or tirade, call the Road Warrior at 387-2904, or e-mail her at roadwarrior@reviewjournal.com or apacker@reviewjournal.com. Please include your phone number.