1Howard Hughes purchased 30,000-acres from the U.S. Department of Interior on which Summerlin sits (25,000 acres) in the early 1950s for $3 an acre. Today, an acre in Summerlin sells for well over $1 million.
2Hughes dubbed the property “Husite,” initially planning to relocate Hughes Aircraft from Culver City, California to the site. Ultimately, that did not happen, so the land sat dormant for decades.
In 1988, Summa Corporation (predecessor to Howard Hughes Holdings), enacted a land swap with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), giving up 439 acres near the Red Rock visitor center to help establish and expand Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area, creating a permanent boundary that forever protects the region.
Summa Corporation sold approximately 2,500 acres to Del Webb to develop Sun City Summerlin. The sale, along with sales to other land developers for The Lakes and Desert Shores, helped to fund early infrastructure development in the community.
In 1988, the Meadows School relocated to Summerlin on land donated by Summa Corporation. The goal was to put Summerlin on the map before development began.
In 1989, Husite was renamed Summerlin, named for the paternal grandmother of Howard Hughes—Jean Amelia Summerlin.
Initially, the Summerlin Parkway was jokingly dubbed by media as “the road to nowhere.” But within a few short years, thousands of residents had moved to the community. Completed up to Town Center Drive in 1990—a major milestone made possible by funding from Howard Hughes through three Special Improvement Districts—Summerlin Parkway continues to give residents a direct route to the community’s front door.
The Hills Park was completed in the fall of 1990, creating a gathering place for special resident and marketing events—months before the first family moved into the community in March 1991.
Summerlin has more amenities than any other Southern Nevada community, including 300-plus parks of all sizes; 200-miles of the Summerlin trail system; 10 golf courses; 20 tennis courts; 14 baseball/softball/teeball fields; 13 basketball courts; 11 soccer/lacrosse fields; 4 sand volleyball courts; 4 community centers; 3 community pools; 8 pickleball courts; 1 football field; 1 outdoor roller hockey rink; 4 interactive water-play areas; 2 outdoor exercise areas; and dozens of picnic ramadas.
Howard Hughes received the inaugural American Trails Developer award in 2008 for the Summerlin Trail System that creates safe passageway to school and connects neighborhoods to schools, parks and shopping centers. Today, the system offers more than 200 miles of trailways.
Did you know that Explorer Park has a shade structure created to represent constellations and stars reflective of a November sky? It is visible every night.
Today, Summerlin is home to 26 schools—a mix of public, private, and charter schools—giving residents more educational choice than any other Southern Nevada community.
Did you know that the Aviators mascots, Spruce the Goose and Aviator, can be seen in the beautiful mural on the 1700 Pavilion office building garage? Summerlin artist Bonnie Kelso was inspired by her life in Summerlin and Las Vegas when creating this mural, which includes native plants and wildlife, community parks and trails, Red Rock Canyon and even a nod to airplanes at Nellis Air Force Base.
Summerlin is home to 15 houses of worship representing 12 different faiths, including Catholic, Jewish, Episcopalian, Lutheran, Hindu and LDS faiths, to name a few.
The Summerlin Library and Performing Arts Center opened in 1993. Today, the performing arts center is booked months in advance by local community and arts groups.
Tiger Woods won his first ever PGA TOUR championship at the Las Vegas Invitational in 1996 at TPC Summerlin, which was completed and opened in 1991.
Starting in 1992, less than one year after the first family moved into Summerlin, the community ranked as the nation’s best-selling master planned community. Today, Summerlin continues to be ranked among the nation’s best-selling communities—35 years into its development.
Summerlin Hospital Medical Center opened in 1996 on a 40-acre campus and operated by the Valley Health System, which opened an extension ER at South Summerlin in early 2025.
Nevada Ballet Theatre moved its headquarters and Academy to Summerlin in 1999 on land partially donated by Howard Hughes to the performing arts organization, the oldest in Nevada. The facility is named the Donald W. Reynolds Cultural Center.
