One of the best known secrets of living in Las Vegas is the beautiful master planned community of Summerlin. Summerlin has been one of the best selling master planned communities in the Las Vegas valley for over a decade. Conceived and developed by the Howard Hughes Corporation, the community was named after Hughes' grandmother, Jean Amelia Summerlin. The initial purchase of the land that would become Summerlin was made in the 1950's and was considered almost worthless at the time.

The idea of Summerlin took root around the traditional small town neighborhoods of years gone by combined with the latest construction techniques and advance planning. The end result was spectacular and simply...Summerlin.

Summerlin is set against the backdrop of the Red Rock Conservation Area. A census done in 2003 showed that over 84,000 people lived in the 22,500 acre community. Currently home to 18 unique villages offering a wide range of single family homes, townhomes and condominiums, residents enjoy a high level of community amenities and features. There are two age restricted communities, Sun City Summerlin and Siena. Every village has its own community park, usually more than one and some have their own private golf course. Each community is also interconnected by walking trails which total a 150 miles. Some villages focus around a specific theme or is known for its community amenities. A good example is the Arbors village, known for its numerous community tennis courts.

Neighborhoods

o The Arbors

o The Canyons

o The Crossing

o The Gardens

o The Hills

o The Hills South

o The Mesa

o Paseos

o The Pueblo

o Red Rock Country Club

o Ridgebrook

o The Ridges

o Siena

o Summerlin Centre

o Sun City Summerlin

o The Trails

o The Vistas

o The Willows

Culture

Another great thing about Summerlin living are the many cultural choices available. Summerlin is home to the state's only ballet company. There is a 294-seat Performing Arts Center theater and the Hills Park Amphitheater. During the year there are several shows and festivals as well. Summerlin also has a huge community recreation and cultural facility. The facility has 20,000 square feet of classroom and workshop space, fitness area, a full-court gym, an aerobicsdance area, play room and a game room. The center also offers a variety of programs such as dance, drama, yoga, martial arts, gymnastics, fitness programs, senior citizen activities and arts and crafts.

Recreation

Each Summerlin neighborhood also has its own park. There are also community swimming pools, ball fields, soccer fields, tennis courts and public golf courses. At last count, there were 19 major parks and 80 neighborhood or pocket parks. Summerlin is also home to the only PGA tour golf course in the state. For outdoor enthusiasts, Red Rock offers great hiking and rock climbing. During the winter months, skiing and snowboarding are just a short drive away to Mount Charleston. Summerlin is about an hour's drive away from Lake Mead, depending on traffic.

Schools

Summerlin offers its residents more educational choices than any other community in the Las Vegas valley. Currently there are nine private schools, both secular and non-secular and ten public schools. Summerlin is also a short drive from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. Other higher learning institutions in the Las Vegas valley include the University of Phoenix, DeVry University, La Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, Heritage Collage and the College of Southern Nevada.

Industry

The main commercial district is Summerlin Centre. The village is mixed use and is home to five large business centers with retail, office space and other commercial property. The result is a huge range of recreational, shopping and dining choices just minutes from all parts of the community. Summerlin Centre is still under construction with more office space planned in the future.

Construction is ongoing in the Summerlin community. At build out, the community will be home to 30 distinctive villages. This vibrant community has held true to its original vision and will remain one of the most desirable addresses in the Las Vegas valley.

I am a long time southern Nevada resident. I am the webmaster for a Las Vegas real estate website that specializes in Las Vegas condos market. The site also has a blog about the latest Las Vegas real estate news and other interesting things going on in the valley.