Desert Connections (Harry Reid aids Coyote Springs developer)

One of the most inhospitable places in the country, Coyote Springs Valley is so barren that, until recently, its best use was thought to be as a weapons test range.

Yet the valley — an hour northeast of Las Vegas — is on its way to becoming a real estate development of historic proportions, with as many as 159,000 homes, 16 golf courses and a full complement of stores and service facilities. At nearly 43,000 acres, Coyote Springs covers almost twice as much space as the next-largest development in a state famous for outsized building projects.

Helping make Coyote Springs come alive was an alliance between a multimillionaire developer and one of the highest-ranking members of Congress: Nevada Democrat Harry Reid, the Senate minority leader and a member of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee.

The relationship between developers such as Harvey Whittemore and politicians such as Reid is especially close in Nevada, home to a small fraternity of movers and shakers, powerful demands of rapid population growth and a huge amount of federally owned land.

Over the last four years, Reid has used his influence in Washington to help the developer, Nevada super-lobbyist Whittemore, clear obstacles from Coyote Springs' path.

At one point, Reid proposed opening the way for Whittemore to develop part of the site for free — something for which the developer later agreed to pay the government $10 million.

As the project advanced, Reid received tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from Whittemore. The contributions not only went to Reid's Senate campaigns, but also to his leadership fund, which he used to help bankroll the campaigns of Democratic colleagues.

Whittemore also helped advance the legal careers of two of Reid's four sons. . . .

When you see a picture on another site that you want to post, right click on it and select "properties". From there, you should see the URL for the photo itself (starting with http... and usually ending in .jpg or .gif). Copy that URL to your clipboard. Also in that properties window, note the dimensions of the photo. In this case, the dimensions were 500 x 532 pixels (width x height).

First, to post the image in its original size, type the following (substituting the URL you copied):

<img src="http://www.qqqqq.jpg">

which is simply giving the "source" of the "image".

When I looked at the dimensions of the map from coyotesprings.com, it was kind of large. To shrink the image, you would simply specify smaller dimensions. There are several ways to do that, but I find it easiest to just specify a different width. If you change only one number, it will automatically proportion the whole photo. By changing the 500 to 400, I reduced the photo to 80% of its orignal size.

In this case, my post was as follows:

<img width="400" src="http://www.coyotesprings.com/images/coyotemap_revised.jpg">

From the website:
Primary homes center on luxurious, yet affordable home ownership in a living, connected environment.

Second homes provide all the comforts needed to unwind for a weekend, or as long as it takes.

Vacation properties provide guests with an affordable escape and a wide spectrum of amenities.

Ranch estates offer ample acreage for equestrian activities, or just room to roam.

Retirement residences let seniors in on the fun, when life should be about just that.

Town and village centers provide integral community services, as well as a vital employment base.

CALL IT SOUTHWEST. CALL IT AMERICAN. BETTER YET, CALL IT HOME.

The architectural and stylistic elements of Coyote Springs embody an eclectic mix of Southwestern and Western influences, such as those found in the settlements of Nevada’s Pioneer Country. Each neighborhood incorporates its own variations of this style.

Details such as recessed doors, washed stone, terra cotta rooftops and private courtyards create an atmosphere found nowhere else. Artistic touches like the use of natural light, weather-beaten doors, exposed beams and earthen colors illustrate the soul of Coyote Springs.

PARDEE HOMES

Pardee Homes, the master residential builder for the community, is a proven pioneer of environmental stewardship. Their commitment to harmony between home and environment is shown in their conservation initiatives.

They build the home. You build the community.

To build the community you've always wanted, Pardee needs your imagination. Help us know what activities you seek in a neighborhood and let us develop the Villages of Coyote Springs.
.

Results 1 - 10 of about 804,000 for Villages of Coyote Springs.. (0.13 seconds)


			Sponsored Links

			Coyote Springs Southern Nevada’s place to live and home of the PGA Village® www.coyotesprings.com

Jack Nicklaus, The PGA of America unveil plans in Las Vegas for ...

Whittemore said the PGA Village at Coyote Springs will be the western winter home to PGA professionals and the host site for future PGA events. ...
www.nicklaus.com/design/112204.php - 14k - Cached - Similar pages

Cybergolf Nevada

Construction of the PGA Village at Coyote Springs, scheduled to begin in 2005, will serve as a prime destination for PGA professionals in the western US, ...
www.cybergolf.com/state.asp?stateID=33&newsID=2456 - 28k - Cached - Similar pages

reviewjournal.com -- News - COYOTE SPRINGS: Growing one hole at a time

Model homes won't be the first buildings to rise at Coyote Springs. The PGA village announced in 2004 will emerge first. The parent company behind the ...
www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Nov-07-Mon-2005/news/4162919.html - 32k - Cached - Similar pages

Coyote Springs Nevada

Information on the new Nevad Planned Community of Coyote Springs. ... has partnered with the PGA of America to build the "PGA Village" at Coyote Springs, ...
www.milliefine.com/coyote_springs.htm - 6k - Cached - Similar pages

MP-0874-06 COYOTE SPRINGS INVESTMENTS LLC MBT - - 08/02/06 BCC ...

The Coyote Springs development will be developed in a series of Villages. The specific plan identifies 12 different villages with a mix of residential and ...
dsnet.co.clark.nv.us/dsnetapps/agendaweb/Data/P0185562.htm - 29k - Cached - Similar pages

WS-0906-06 -COYOTE SPRINGS INVESTMENT LLC MBT - - 08/03/06 PC ...

The plans show a 764 acre tentative map for Coyote Springs Village 1, which was approved in October 2005 for a 623 lot single family residential subdivision ...
dsnet.co.clark.nv.us/dsnetapps/agendaweb/Data/P0186134.htm - 14k - Cached - Similar pages
[ More results from dsnet.co.clark.nv.us ]

The PGA Fall Expo is the country’s premier fall marketplace for ...

Coyote Springs is located 45 minutes from downtown Las Vegas at the junction of US 93 and State Route 168. The philosophy behind the PGA Village at Coyote ...
www.pgafallexpo.com/app/homepage.cfm?moduleid=324&linkid=9543&appname=100038&Exid=464576 - 46k - Cached - Similar pages

Pardee Homes: Master Planned Community in Coyote Springs (Southern ...

For more information, please visit Villages of Coyote Springs. Master Planned Community Coming to Beautiful Coyote Springs Southern Nevada ...
www.pardeehomes.com/coyotesprings.php - 24k - Aug 18, 2006 - Cached - Similar pages

Coyote Springs

A world class golf destination, Coyote Springs is the home of the PGA Village and Jack Nicklas signature course. Located north of Las Vegas.
www.coyotesprings.com/vision_homes.html - 10k - Cached - Similar pages

Coyote Springs Homes - Coyote Springs Real Estate - Las Vegas, Nevada

Only the second PGA Village in the United Holy Cow,....this looks to be out of my price range!

******************************

States and the first of its kind in the West, The PGA Village at Coyote Springs will offer state-of-the-art ...
www.greatlasvegashomes.com/coyote_springs_homes.htm - 25k - Cached - Similar pages

PGA • Courses

World-class golf makes its way to the West

THE PGA OF AMERICA PRESENTS THE PGA VILLAGE^® AT COYOTE SPRINGS

Conceived as the region’s first true world-class golf destination, Coyote Springs features a premier golf village as the gateway to the community. Only the second PGA Village® in the United States and the first of its kind in the West, The PGA Village® at Coyote Springs offers state-of-the-art facilities and an unparalleled golf experience.

The PGA Learning Center™
The ultimate learning experience for golfers of all skill levels, The PGA Learning Center™ is dedicated to teaching the sport in a fun environment where PGA Professionals provide the expertise to enhance enjoyment of the game.

The PGA Historical Center™
The PGA Historical Center™ unlocks the history of golf — its growth, the grand traditions of its founders and the championship moments that embody the sport’s rich legacy.

For more information on The PGA of America: click here

Captain's Quarters has notes on this also:

August 20, 2006
The Culture Of Corruption Redux

*******************AN EXCERPT *******************************************

When the Democrats adopted the "culture of corruption" meme as their campaign theme earlier this year, we noted that the culture hardly respected party lines. The leader of the Senate Democratic caucus, Harry Reid, took contributions from clients of Jack Abramoff and intervened on their behalf at least four times, and Abramoff hired one of Reid's staffers and started holding fundraisers for the Senate Minority Leader in Abramoff's offices.

Now COGirl at Hang Right Politics points us towards a Los Angeles Times report on the "culture of corruption" surrounding Harry Reid and a new real-estate development outside of Las Vegas. Reid has intervened on behalf of a powerful developer to gain government concessions while the developer puts money into Reid's campaigns -- and pays Reid's sons' salaries:

********************More Excerpt **********************

The story of Coyote Springs sounds like a Horatio Alger story. The land Whittemore bought in 1998 from a defense contractor who intended on using it for target practice had a number of restrictions on its use. A quarter of it was subject to a federal power-line right of way. Another quarter had federal protection for the desert tortoise, an endangered species that also is Nevada's official state reptile. The land had a fragile series of streams and washes that required special permission on which to build without ruining the desert's ecosystem.

None of these obstacles proved too difficult for Whittemore, at least not while he had his friend Harry Reid running interference in Congress. Interior refused to relocate the tortoises for over five years, until the Bureau of Land Management agreed to swap the land for another parcel abutting a federal preserve elsewhere. No one ever did an analysis to determine whether the deal was fair to either party, nor did the BLM go to Congress for approval on the changes to a project that Congress had explicitly legislated.

In 2002, Reid worked on the power corridor. He inserted obscure provisions into a land management bill that relocated the power corridor, freeing Whittemore to build on the 10,500 acres that Congress had previously held -- which means that someone else now had to lose property value for Whittemore's benefit, and for no cost whatsoever. That bald move caused raised eyebrows at the BLM and the Senate's Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Reid backed away -- for the moment. Less than two years later, Reid tried again to give Whittemore the land for a song ($160,000), but Congress balked again. He finally settled for freeing the land for development and allowing Whittemore to buy it at a fair market rate, and forcing the government to relocate the power corridor.

In 2005, Reid and fellow Nevada Senator John Ensign conducted a series of interventions with the EPA to eliminate the final obstacle -- the environmental impact on the fragile ecosystem in Coyote Springs Valley. When the agency blocked Whittemore's efforts, Reid and Ensign held several meetings with EPA officials to pressure them into submission. Whittemore used another Reid son, Lief, to lobby his father's office for assistance. In the end, the pressure paid off, as the EPA backed down from its opposition after winning a few concessions on the development plan.

What did Reid get in exchange for all of this support? According to the Times, Whittemore contributed $45,000 to Reid and his PACs since 2000. He also gave the DSCC $20,000 in 2000, when it pushed Reid as a leader for the party in the Senate. Reid's son Josh got $5,000 for his unsuccessful campaign for a city council seat; his other sone Rory got $5,000 for his successful effort to win a spot on the Clark County Board of Commissioners.

Money talks. And Harry Reid walks. If you wondered why the Democrats have abandoned the corruption theme for these midterm elections, now you know.

UPDATE: Welcome, Instapundit readers!

Posted by Captain Ed at August 20, 2006 10:40 AM

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.