Developers present SHARE Westside project; report 17% local employment, 23% subcontracting to SNEC

Developers of the SHARE Downtown Westside project presented updated plans and early compliance numbers to the Southern Nevada Enterprise Community Board on the matter of local hiring and subcontracting.

The presentation, led by Grant Garcia, chief operating officer of SHARE Downtown, and Sam Cherry, CEO of Cherry Development, described a mixed-use project of 104 one-bedroom, one-bath units with roughly 17,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and an about 8,950-square-foot market food hall. Garcia said the project is “about 20% through” construction and that the development is operating under rent covenants tied to a 120% area median income cap.

Why it matters: the board and city officials track employment and subcontracting commitments on projects that receive city involvement to ensure local economic benefits. Councilwoman Summers Armstrong framed the discussion around whether the project is meeting the city’s intent to create jobs and contracting opportunities for West Side residents and businesses.

Developers’ details and compliance numbers Sam Cherry and Grant Garcia said the project’s affordability provisions are based on HUD-published AMI limits and that the 120% AMI cap on rents is the maximum the developers may charge. Cherry said the HUD limits are published annually and were included in the deal points negotiated with the city.

Garcia reported the project’s first-quarter compliance numbers: 17% participation for the employment plan and 23% participation on subcontracting so far. “We’re about 20% through our project right now,” Garcia said, and added the team hopes to improve those percentages as construction progresses. Cherry said the city set a mid-range threshold that the developers were aiming to surpass: “We’re not here to just get by with the threshold. We wanna exceed … and do more than just the basics that are outlined.”

Developers described outreach efforts that produced some local participation: they said they received a contractor list from the city, contacted firms, asked the general contractor to qualify local vendors, and have engaged local designers and artists. Cherry cited an interior designer with a West Side office and local artists who are advising on art and branding for the project.

Board and public comment Councilwoman Summers Armstrong asked for specifics on the composition of the 17% employment number and how that figure might change over time. The councilwoman, who said she sponsored a 2021 piece of legislation to strengthen employment and subcontracting requirements on city-involved projects, urged the developers to connect with city employment partners when they need help recruiting or qualifying vendors.

Bridal Ali Cruz, an analyst for the board staff, confirmed the Harlem Knights Casino item from the prior meeting was intended as a carryover and was struck from the agenda following a separate motion (see Votes at a glance below).

Maisha Boyce, president and managing member of MYS Firm and a city employment-plan consultant, praised the SHARE team’s early and sustained outreach. Boyce told the board the developers “started early” and have been proactive in meeting subcontractors and carving bid packages. She also cautioned that collecting workforce data can be increasingly difficult, particularly among communities of color that may be reluctant to disclose personal information; she asked the board and developers to plan for that challenge as they meet reporting requirements.

What was not specified The presenters referenced 2025 HUD AMI limits and described a 120% AMI cap built into deal covenants; no specific monthly rent figures that match HUD’s published limits were audibly confirmed in the meeting record. Developers also discussed financing and lenders but did not provide loan amounts, grant amounts or a project completion date during the presentation.

Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes from 05/19/2025 — motion made, seconded and adopted; no roll-call vote names were recorded in the transcript. - Motion to strike the agenda item regarding the Harlem Knights Casino project — motion made, seconded and adopted.

Next steps Developers said they will provide the board and council offices with backup documentation from their first-quarter reporting and welcome additional outreach and connections with the City of Las Vegas and employment partners to improve local hiring and subcontractor participation. Several board members expressed interest in a future workshop to discuss SNEC’s role and longer-term strategies for workforce and contractor development on West Side projects.

Ending The presentation closed after public comment; the board moved to the next agenda items and adjourned after a second public-comment period.