Nevada Children's Hospital Breaks Ground in Southwest Las Vegas
For years, Las Vegas families with a seriously sick kid have had to pack a bag and leave the state. That's finally changing. Construction is officially underway on the Nevada children's hospital, the state's first standalone, comprehensive hospital built just for kids.
Intermountain Health broke ground Monday evening, October 26, on the Intermountain Health Felicia and Ben Horowitz Children's Hospital at UNLV's Harry Reid Research and Technology Park, according to Intermountain. The doors are expected to open in 2030.
It's a $1 billion plus project, the Las Vegas Review Journal reports, and it's being built right here in the southwest valley.
Key Facts: The New Children's Hospital at a Glance
Name: Intermountain Health Felicia and Ben Horowitz Children's Hospital
Location: UNLV Harry Reid Research and Technology Park, southwest Las Vegas, near Sunset Road and Durango Drive
Opening: Expected in 2030
Operator: Intermountain Health, through Intermountain Children's Health
Size: 33 acre campus, about 828,600 square feet, 180 beds to start with room for 228
Campaign: Intermountain Foundation's Nevada Campaign for Kids, chaired by Bill and Wendy Hornbuckle
Why the Nevada Children's Hospital Matters for Local Families
Southern Nevada already has pediatric units inside existing hospitals. What it hasn't had is a standalone children's hospital with the deepest level of specialty care. The Raiders put it bluntly when they announced their gift: Las Vegas is the largest metro area in the country without one.
That gap sends a lot of kids out of state. Mitch Cloward, Intermountain Health's region president, told the Review Journal that an estimated 20,000 children a year have to leave Nevada for complex care. Nevada's Medicaid program alone spent $123.8 million on out of state children's services in 2023, according to The Nevada Independent, citing a Tripp Umbach study.
There's a doctor shortage too. A 2024 study from UNLV's Lincy Institute found Nevada has 267 pediatricians for about 640,000 kids, or roughly 59.5 for every 100,000 children, the Review Journal reported.
"We wanted to provide a solution for Nevada to help bring these children back home," Cloward said.
What Will Be Inside the Las Vegas Pediatric Hospital
The plans call for neonatal care, pediatric and cardiac intensive care, emergency and trauma care, orthopedics, cancer and bone marrow transplant services, behavioral health, and advanced medical and surgical care for children, per Intermountain.
8 News Now adds that the plans include the state's highest level neonatal intensive care unit, a child abuse treatment center and a full outpatient center.
The hospital will also serve families from Arizona and Southern Utah. It's backed by Intermountain's sister hospital, Primary Children's in Salt Lake City, which U.S. News and World Report ranked in 11 pediatric specialties for 2025 to 2026, Intermountain says.
And the work isn't waiting for 2030. Intermountain has already finished its first Community Health Needs Assessment for Southern Nevada and runs programs for kids' mental health, injury prevention, and access to food and stable housing.
Timeline: From Groundbreaking to a 2030 Opening
This project has been moving for a while. Intermountain unveiled the site at the UNLV tech park in October 2024, UNLV reported. Now that dirt is moving, the next few years are all about design and hiring.
Shepley Bulfinch and Gensler are the architects, the Review Journal reports. Both firms have designed children's hospitals across the country.
The economic numbers are big. An Applied Analysis study expects a $724 million boost to Nevada's economy during the five years of construction, then $841 million in annual economic output and 1,334 jobs once the hospital opens, per the Review Journal.
Russ Williams, the hospital's president, said, "This hospital is one important piece of a bigger vision." Gov. Joe Lombardo called it "an investment in our children and the future strength and health of our state." If you work in healthcare, Intermountain has an interest form for future jobs.
The Nevada Campaign for Kids: Who's Funding It
The money is coming in fast. On October 23, Felicia and Ben Horowitz committed $150 million, one of the largest gifts ever to a U.S. children's hospital, and the hospital now carries their name, Intermountain announced.
"This gift propels pediatric care in Nevada 10 to 15 years into the future," said David Flood, president of the Intermountain Foundation.
Earlier this month, Las Vegas homebuilders Larry and Heidi Canarelli committed $50 million, and the inpatient tower will be called the Larry and Heidi Canarelli Inpatient Tower, per Intermountain. In August, the Raiders gave $25 million: $10 million from the team and $5 million each from owners Mark Davis, Egon Durban and Michael Meldman. And in May, the Helmsley Charitable Trust committed $20 million for pediatric behavioral health services in Nevada.
MGM Resorts CEO Bill Hornbuckle and his wife Wendy are leading the campaign. Intermountain calls it "the most ambitious philanthropic effort ever undertaken for children's health in our state." Locals can give to the campaign here. It's a lot like the community support behind St. Jude's Ranch for Children.
What Local Families Are Saying
At the groundbreaking, families shared why this matters to them. Judy Haynes, 13, was born with cancer and had to be flown by helicopter to Los Angeles for treatment when she was two days old, KTNV reported. "I think it will be amazing for kids all across Nevada to have a hospital near them," she said.
Her mom, Tisha, said the family spent months away from home. "My hope is that the next family can focus on their child, not on how far they must travel for care," she said, per Intermountain.
Benjamin Sanchez, 12, is in remission from cancer but still travels to Utah every three months, an 800 mile round trip, KTNV reported. His take on a hospital here at home: "It could make life easier."
Nevada Children's Hospital FAQ
When will the Nevada children's hospital open?
Intermountain Health expects the hospital to open in 2030. Construction started after the groundbreaking on October 26, 2026.
Where is the new children's hospital in Las Vegas?
It is being built at UNLV's Harry Reid Research and Technology Park in southwest Las Vegas, near Sunset Road and Durango Drive.
How many beds will the hospital have?
It will open with a 180 bed inpatient tower that can expand to 228 beds, on a 33 acre campus with about 828,600 square feet of space.
Who is paying for the hospital?
Intermountain Health is funding the project along with donors through the Intermountain Foundation's Nevada Campaign for Kids, led by a $150 million gift from Felicia and Ben Horowitz.
What It Means for Southwest Las Vegas
The southwest valley keeps getting bigger, from Durango Casino and Resort to new sports complexes like Henderson's Fieldhouse. A major children's hospital with more than 1,300 jobs is another big reason families are choosing Las Vegas.
If you're raising kids here, or planning to, being close to top level pediatric care is a real quality of life win. If you're thinking about buying near the tech park, check out homes for sale in Las Vegas or our guide to finding your dream home. And if you're not ready to buy, take a look at rental homes around the valley.
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