A $50 Million Gift Boosts Las Vegas' First Children's Hospital, With Construction Starting in Late October

by Ryan Rose

What Happened

On Tuesday, October 6, 2026, the Intermountain Health Foundation announced a $50 million gift from Larry and Heidi Canarelli. The couple founded American West Homes, a Las Vegas homebuilder. In honor of the gift, the hospital's inpatient tower will be named the Larry & Heidi Canarelli Inpatient Tower, according to News 3.

The Canarellis spoke about why they gave. "Every child deserves access to great care close to home," the couple said in a statement reported by News 3. They added that they hope the gift "helps keep more Nevada families together during some of life's most difficult moments." They also noted they have built homes in Nevada for a long time and have watched generations of families put down roots here.

Mitch Cloward, the Intermountain Health region president, said a child in Las Vegas who needs the highest level of intensive care will soon be able to get it here. He said that kind of access changes what is possible for families "when every hour, every step and every mile matters."

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that construction is slated to start in late October on about 34 acres of the 122-acre tech park. The hospital is a more than $1 billion project. It is expected to open by 2030 and employ about 2,000 to 3,000 caregivers. The tower is planned with 180 inpatient beds and room to grow, according to Intermountain and the Raiders. The Review-Journal has reported the full hospital at about 200 beds, so the final count may land somewhere in that range as the campus grows.

The planned services are a big list. News 3 reports the hospital will include a trauma center, an emergency department, a high-level neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), pediatric intensive care, a cancer center, and behavioral health services. The Raiders' announcement also describes a full outpatient center alongside inpatient and specialty care.

The Canarelli gift is the second major gift in about six weeks. On August 24, 2026, the Las Vegas Raiders announced a $25 million gift, the largest charitable commitment in team history. The team gave $10 million. Owner Mark Davis and partners Egon Durban and Michael Meldman gave $5 million each. In return, the hospital's rehab gym and its bistro will carry the Raiders name.

Raiders owner Mark Davis said at the August event that the team promised Las Vegas and Nevada "would be getting more than a football team," according to FOX5. Raiders President Sandra Douglass Morgan added that "Access to high-quality healthcare should never depend on where a child lives." Intermountain has been the Raiders' official health care partner since 2019, according to the team. Put the two gifts together and the hospital has $75 million in new pledges announced since late August alone.

Architect's rendering of the planned Intermountain Nevada Children's Hospital, a multi-story building with colorful vertical panels, tree-lined parking and a main entrance at dusk

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

If you have never needed a children's hospital, it is easy to miss how big this is. When a child in Las Vegas needs the most advanced care, such as some cancer treatments or complex surgeries, families often have to leave the state. FOX5 reports that many of the roughly 2,000 kids sent out each year go to Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City. That is about a six-hour drive.

One mom shared what that is like. Samantha Delk told FOX5 her son Colston went through years of chemotherapy and two bone marrow transplants. Her family lived six hours away from home for two years. "It's not fair that we live in a community that didn't have something to support the only thing in life that I wanted," she said. Stories like hers are why this project gets so much support.

Being away from home costs more than gas money. A parent may have to take leave from work. Brothers and sisters may stay behind with relatives. Families pay for hotels, meals, and travel while trying to focus on a sick child. A hospital built for kids, here in Clark County, means more families could sleep in their own beds and keep their jobs and routines during the hardest stretch of their lives.

There is also a jobs story. The Review-Journal reports the hospital will employ about 2,000 to 3,000 caregivers. That is nurses, doctors, therapists, techs, and support staff. Many of those workers will want to live within a reasonable drive of the campus near Durango Drive and the 215. That puts the southwest valley, including Spring Valley, Rhodes Ranch, Mountain's Edge, and the rest of the southwest valley, right in the middle of the conversation. For homeowners and renters in those areas, a major new employer down the road is worth paying attention to.

It helps to know what some of those planned services mean in plain terms. A NICU cares for newborns who are born very early or very sick. Pediatric intensive care is for kids who need round-the-clock, high-level care after a serious illness, injury, or surgery. A trauma center is set up for the most serious injuries, like bad car crashes or falls. Behavioral health covers mental health care for kids and teens. Having all of that in one building built for children, instead of spread across adult hospitals, is the whole point of a standalone children's hospital.

Finally, this is a local story about local people. The Canarellis built homes here. The Raiders play here. The campaign is co-chaired by Bill and Wendy Hornbuckle. Bill Hornbuckle is the CEO of MGM Resorts. When people who built their lives in Las Vegas put money into a hospital for Las Vegas kids, that says something good about this community.

Campaign co-chair Bill Hornbuckle put it in very Las Vegas terms at the Raiders event. "What now happens here needs to stay here, and the healthcare of our children needs to stay here," he told FOX5. It is a play on the famous slogan, but the meaning is serious. Keeping care local keeps families together.

Background and History

This project has been building for two years. In October 2024, Intermountain Health unveiled a sign at the site of the future hospital at the UNLV Harry Reid Research and Technology Park. Governor Joe Lombardo, state lawmakers, Clark County commissioners, and UNLV President Keith E. Whitfield were there, according to UNLV. Whitfield compared the effort to the community push, more than a decade ago, that created the medical school at UNLV.

The tech park itself sits on 122 acres in the fast-growing southwest part of the valley. UNLV says the Urban Land Institute Nevada named it the region's "most catalytic place." It is meant to be a home for university research and private companies working side by side. A children's hospital on about a third of the land would make it one of the biggest anchors in that part of town.

The project also leans on a growing medical community in town. UNLV's Kerkorian School of Medicine was marking its 10-year anniversary when the site was unveiled in 2024, according to UNLV. Whitfield also pointed to the other health systems that already serve the valley, including University Medical Center, HCA, Valley Health System, and Dignity Health. A children's hospital adds to that network rather than replacing it. Intermountain's flagship kids' hospital, Primary Children's in Salt Lake City, was ranked by U.S. News & World Report in 11 pediatric specialties for 2025 to 2026, according to Intermountain. That is the same system now building in Las Vegas.

Outdoor monument sign for the Harry Reid Research and Technology Park in southwest Las Vegas, the site of the future children's hospital

In October 2025, Intermountain Health announced it would build the hospital and named Bill and Wendy Hornbuckle as chairs of the Nevada Campaign for Kids, according to FOX5. Mandy Richards, president of Children's Health at Intermountain Health, told FOX5 that "No child should have to travel when they're at their weakest moment." At that time, no groundbreaking date had been set.

The next big step came on May 20, 2026. The Review-Journal reported that the Clark County Zoning Commission unanimously approved the permits for the hospital at Durango Drive and Patrick Lane. That approval described an eight-story building of about 830,350 square feet. Then came the Raiders' $25 million gift in August, and now the Canarellis' $50 million gift in October. Intermountain already runs more than 65 clinics in Southern Nevada and serves about 350,000 residents of Clark and Nye counties, according to UNLV.

What Happens Next

The next milestone is the start of construction. The Review-Journal says work is slated to begin in late October 2026, and News 3 reports Intermountain expects to break ground later this month. FOX5 has reported that construction will take about four years. That lines up with the planned opening in 2030.

Over the next few years, expect to see cranes and crews near Durango Drive and the 215. Intermountain also has to hire and train thousands of workers before the doors open. Its Nevada hospital page says planning includes architectural design and recruiting pediatric clinicians. The Nevada Campaign for Kids is still raising money, so more named gifts could be announced. Intermountain has not published a public fundraising goal on its hospital page [NOT VERIFIED: total campaign goal].

A few things to watch. First, the official groundbreaking ceremony, which should come with more details. Second, any updates to the final bed count, since reports range from 180 to about 200. Third, road and traffic work around Durango and Patrick as the site gets busy. And fourth, hiring news, since thousands of jobs will be posted before 2030.

It is also worth being clear about what has not changed yet. Until 2030, families who need the highest level of pediatric care may still be referred out of state, just as they are today. The local clinics and hospitals that care for kids now will keep doing that work. The new hospital is a long-term fix, not a next-month fix. That is why the steady drumbeat of gifts and approvals matters. Each step makes the 2030 date more real.

Ryan's Take

I love this story because it is about families first. As a Realtor, I talk to parents every week about schools, commutes, and parks. Health care for kids does not always come up until it really matters, and then it is the only thing that matters. Having a full children's hospital in the southwest valley will make Las Vegas a better place to raise a family. That is good for everyone who lives here.

From a housing point of view, a big new employer usually brings new demand nearby. A campus with 2,000 to 3,000 caregivers can mean more people looking to buy or rent within a short drive. It can also bring medical offices and services over time. Neighborhoods like Spring Valley, Rhodes Ranch, Mountain's Edge, and the rest of the southwest valley already sit close to Durango and the 215. I would not buy a home based on a hospital that opens in 2030 alone. But if you already like the southwest valley, this is one more reason it should stay in demand for years to come.

A speaker at a podium in front of Raiders and Intermountain Children's Health logos during the August 2026 announcement of the Raiders' $25 million gift for the Las Vegas children's hospital

What You Can Do

If you want to support the project, the Intermountain Foundation runs the Nevada Campaign for Kids. Intermountain's Nevada children's hospital page has a link to give, along with a sign-up for people who may want to work there. If you are a nurse, therapist, or medical worker, that job sign-up is worth a look now. Hiring for a hospital this size takes years.

If you live near Durango Drive and the 215, keep an eye out for construction and traffic notices once work starts. Clark County posts road work updates, and big projects like this often bring lane changes nearby. If your family drives Durango, Patrick, or Sunset every day, plan for some extra time once crews arrive.

If you are a parent, it is smart to know your options today, too. Ask your pediatrician which local hospital they use for kids and where they refer the most serious cases. Save the nearest urgent care and emergency room in your phone. Those answers may change once the new hospital opens, but knowing them now can save time on a hard day.

If you are thinking about moving to the southwest valley, or you already own there and want to know what this could mean for your home, I am happy to talk it through. We can look at what homes are selling for near the tech park and how the area has grown.