Las Vegas homebuilder Jim Rhodes has cleared another hurdle for his massive project atop Blue Diamond Hill and could break ground this year, after his long-sought venture faced years of controversy.

The Clark County Planning Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved design reviews and a tentative map for around 830 acres with more than 1,000 single-family homes on the hilltop site off Blue Diamond Road west of Las Vegas. No one at the hearing voiced opposition to the items.

A tentative map shows where homesites, roads and other components of a community would be built.

Overall, Rhodes’ project site spans roughly 2,000 acres and calls for 3,500 homes, and the plans that went to the commission this week cover the first phase, project manager Ron Krater told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The sprawling hilltop property, which Rhodes acquired more than 20 years ago, borders Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and has long been the site of gypsum mining operations.

Krater said the development team is on schedule with its engineering work to let them break ground on the project later this year, with the majority of construction underway by early 2026.

He said that Rhodes’ group will build a 4.5-mile connector road from the new community to Blue Diamond Road, funneling drivers to and from a point miles away from the scenic stretch of State Route 159 that cuts through the conservation area behind the hill.

He said his team is still working with the county to secure a right-of-way from the Bureau of Land Management for the new roadway, as it would be built through federal land.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Contact Eli Segall at esegall@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0342.