FEATURE STORY

If you’re like most people then you’re never been inside a house that is shaped like a giant manta ray. The shark-tube entryway and the 20,000-gallon system of aquariums partitioning the interior would be an entirely new experience. If you’ve never explored such a structure, then you should definitely attend the bi-annual Las Vegas Parade of Homes. The spring 2008 event runs from April 18 to May 4.

Las Vegas Parade of Homes showcases luxury homes and products ranging from high-end necessities to eccentric bells and whistles. On the exotic side, one home features a slide that transports kids from their playroom to the great room. While that home is designed with children in mind, another interesting home is centered on a playpen for cats. The cat-centered structure includes a maze of feline walkways.

Lisa Hester, who serves as the president, CEO and executive director of Las Vegas Parade of Homes, Inc., describes the event as “a home and garden show on wheels.” She says, “Each home is a 3-D business card for the architect, builder, landscaper, installers and manufacturers… you get to see the products in their natural settings, not in a warehouse.”

More than a dozen custom-built homes will open their doors to the public in order to showcase scores of builders and vendors. Although a few of the homes are for sale, Las Vegas Parade of Homes is not a Real Estate sales event.

According to the company’s commissioning statement, the event is designed to allow the public to “tour luxury throughout Las Vegas.” The showcase homes are in exclusive neighborhoods such as Red Rock Country Club, The Ridges in Summerlin, Southern Highlands, The Lakes, Seven Hills, Roma Hills, MacDonald Highlands and satellite locations.

With an expected attendance of more than 60,000, primary concerns include security and traffic. Shuttle services will therefore transport attendees from public parking lots to the circuit of homes.

The local chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) realizes the symbiotic relationship of the pre-eminent interior design organization in the United States with the immensely popular Parade of Homes event. It is a perfect venue with which to educate the public as to how good architecture and design can and should complement each other. To that end, they have joined with each other to present the first ASID Showcase House in Nevada history.

The architecturally brilliant 14,000-square-foot home, developed by Mike and Rhonda Mona (owners of Monaco Development), has been dubbed The Falls for the many water features inside and out, including a river that fills the swimming pool. It is estimated to be worth about $14.5 million, and will truly demonstrate what can go into a comprehensive custom home. It will be a platform to educate as well as to show cutting edge technology, design and architecture in a natural setting. The architect for the project is Sheldon Colen of SCA Design, with Stephen Leon and Barbara Woolf of Soleil Design Intl. Inc. serving as design chairs for the event.

“The Falls” is featured on the cover of the Resource Guide, an informational publication that is distributed to 120,000 ticket holders and potential attendees throughout the valley. The Resource Guide outlines the display homes and introduces the ticket holders to the vendors.

Synthetic lawns are one example of the many products on display. Because water is such a critical issue in Las Vegas development, the demand for artificial lawns is ever-increasing. Consumers have a myriad of questions about the products, and many don’t know where to go for answers. “People want to know,” says Lisa, “can [the lawn] get wet? Is it dog-proof?” Not only does Las Vegas Parade of Homes provide an opportunity for buyers to compare products, but the vendors will be on hand at each site to answer questions.

Many Parade attendees will solidify ideas for building or remodeling their own homes. For instance, the tour will display a “smart home” that is equipped with fully automated lighting, climate control and pool settings. Additionally, attendees will learn how to take advantage of the Las Vegas weather by installing pocket windows that open to the outdoors by disappearing into the walls. Such windows can be installed in dining rooms or even in showers. Lisa says, “Pocket windows let you shower like you’re in a big eagle’s nest.”

In order to tour the Las Vegas Parade of Homes, attendees will need a Parade Passport, which is available at RC Willey locations. A portion of each $25 passport fee benefits Clark County School District. Not only does the passport guarantee entry into the Parade tour, but it also provides electronic discounts for more than 80 vendors. According to Lisa, “Faucets galore, European wine cellars, fingerprint recognition locks, home theatres, roofs—every single thing you see is available and discounted for one year with your Parade Passport.”

Once the attendees have validated their passports at all of the home sites, the attendees can make their views known. Each validated passport is a ballot with which the attendee can vote in several categories including Best Home, Best Architect, Best Builder, Best Kitchen, Best Landscape and others.

At the end of the tour, when the votes have been cast, the voting attendees are eligible to win highly coveted prizes, including a $5,000 RC Willey shopping spree or an original work of art. Additional prizes are to be announced.

On a national level, the Parade of Homes has existed for more than seven decades. The largest event, held in Saint Louis, MO, showcases more than 800 homes. Las Vegas Parade of Homes, which held its first local event in 2003, is the only Parade in the nation that focuses exclusively on luxury homes. The average Las Vegas Parade home contains 12,000 square feet, and the largest contains 28,000 square feet.

Lisa founded Las Vegas Parade of Homes, Inc. with her sister Erika Thayer in 2000 and says that the Las Vegas Parade of Homes event gets larger with every cycle. “As awareness grows,” she says, “[the event] gets owned by the town.”

If you miss the spring event then you can still catch the fall event, which runs from October 17 to November 2. For more information, visit www.lasvegasparadeofhomes.com.

Photography: Britt Pierson