The Las Vegas Valley is known for its bold, audacious real estate developments. In contrast to most urban centers that develop organically, completing many small projects over long periods of time, Las Vegas has been defined by large, developer-driven projects where market timing and return on investment drive project implementation. The 100+ acre Las Vegas Food District proposal embraces the tradition of large, bold developments with a focus on a regenerative model for responsible urban living. It is a holistic vision that seeks to create synergy among the complex aspects of living in one of the most unique cities and unforgiving ecosystems in the world. This project uses food - its production, processing, sales, consumption, and training opportunities - as a thread that stiches the district together and connects it to the valley's culinary industry.
An unlikely group of participants gathered to formulate this vision. All are leaders in non-profit organizations committed to the long-term health and well-being of the residents in Southern Nevada. Their collective understanding and experience were an invaluable resource in the development of this vision. The main objectives of this proposal were to:

 
???,??? Create a dense, safe, vibrant, mixed use, mixed income, walkable development that connects users to existing built/natural systems and supports healthy living;
???,??? Address the needs of a mixed income, diverse population by seamlessly integrating systems of support for those in need;
???,??? Develop a progressive, non-hierarchical, non-stratified infrastructure that celebrates our symbiotic interdependence with our environment and one another;
???,??? Expand opportunities to train a 21st century food industry workforce and educate the community about the ecological challenges of living in the Mojave Desert as they relate to our food systems and our long-term health and prosperity;
???,??? Utilize water resources to produce high quality organic agricultural products for residents, local restaurants as well as the broader community;
???,??? Create buildings that are flexible and can readily adapt to evolving community needs.
???,??? Use passive and active strategies to make the district efficient and a net energy producer;
???,??? Utilize existing transportation and civic infrastructure and augment gaps in that infrastructure with integrated amenities such as car sharing, a library, classrooms, community meeting space, community gardens and athletic fields.