Sunset Park, Las Vegas
# Sunset Park, Las Vegas

Sunset Regional Park, one of the largest parks in Las Vegas, is located near Harry Reid International Airport in the southeast part of the valley. The park is bordered by Sunset Road on the north, Eastern Avenue on the west and Warm Springs Road on the south. It is situated in close proximity to the affluent Tomiyasu neighborhood.

## History

The land was first developed by John F. Miller, who acquired the property from the federal government in 1909. At the time, land was being given away for agricultural development. He drilled three wells and built the Miller Ranch. In 1939 the ranch was sold to J. Kell Houssels, veteran hotelier and casino operator. He sold the property to a group of investors in 1963. The county bought the land in 1967 and turned what was then called Houssels Ranch was into the valley’s third county park. In 1968 the name was changed to Sunset Park.

## Sunset Park Pond

Sunset Park Pond is around 1.4 acres (5,700 $m^2)$ in surface area and 10 to 12 feet (3.7 m) deep. It is home to various species of water fowl and fish.

Sunset Park Pond features a giant stone Moai, of the type found in Easter Island, Chile, carved of stone originally for the Aku Aku Restaurant, where it stood at the restaurant's entrance at the Stardust Hotel in Las Vegas. The moai was moved to Sunset Park Pond after the closing of Aku Aku, in an effort spearheaded by Paulina Jimeno de Bosch, mother of the Consul of Chile in Las Vegas, Paulina Biggs Sparkuhl.

## Recreation

### Fishing

Fishing is available year-round in the pond. The State of Nevada Department of Fish and Wildlife stocks the pond weekly with rainbow trout from November to March, and with channel catfish monthly from April to October. Other species include bluegill, redear sunfish, black crappie and largemouth bass.

### Sporting facilities

The park contains several softball and little-league fields as well as basketball, volleyball, and tennis courts. One 27-hole disc-golf court is located on the western edge of the park and is 7,608 ft (2,319 m) by 8,775 ft (2,675 m) in size.

### Other facilities

There are 31 picnic areas with capacities ranging from 50 to 1,000 people. There are four walking trails totaling 3.5 miles of pathway.

## Events and Entertainment

### Las Vegas Renaissance Fair

During the fall, Clark County's Parks and Recreation hosts the annual Age of Chivalry Renaissance Festival in Sunset Park.

### Gift of Lights

From 2000–2009, Sunset Park hosted a drive-through holiday light show called the Gift of Lights. Beginning with the 2010 holiday season, the show was moved to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

