The National Park Service (NPS) is seeking public comment for the consideration of demolition or possible adaptive reuses of the Lake Mead Lodge complex, located at 322 Lakeshore Road, Boulder City, Nevada, within Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Lake Mead Lodge is eligible for listing on the National Historic Register. Originally called Hualapai Lodge, three of its four structures were built in 1941 by NPS concessioner Grand Canyon Boulder Dam Tours, Inc., with a fourth "annex" building and a swimming pool added in 1954. Seven Crown Resorts took over the operation in 1979 and operated it until 2008, when commercial services were discontinued and the lodge was closed. The decision to discontinue commercial operations and abandon the lodging facilities was made because there are numerous lodging properties located within 25 miles of the park, the facility is in deteriorated condition, and once Lake Mead Marina was relocated the lodge was no longer located near a marina facility to provide clientele to support the lodging operation. Due to the lodge's historic status, the NPS is required to evaluate the impacts of either demolishing the lodging complex or adaptively reusing it for non-commercial purposes.
Once the initial public scoping process is closed, an environmental assessment will be prepared to analyze the effects of the proposed alternatives. Comments and recommendations concerning the scope of the environmental assessment, the issues it should cover, the alternatives to consider, and other project-related concerns will be accepted through November 30, 2010.