Las Vegas is finally going to have a standalone children's hospital

Las Vegas offers world-famous casinos, glamorous hotels and entertainment of all kinds.

Intermountain Health is planning to build a standalone children's hospital in Las Vegas, which will be the first in the state of Nevada.

However, the city doesn't have a standalone children's hospital. But that's going to change.

Intermountain Healthcare has chosen a site for a new pediatric hospital in Las Vegas. It would be the first standalone children's hospital in Nevada. Intermountain says the final cost is still to be determined but it could be a $1 billion project.

The health system revealed the site of the new hospital at an event Tuesday afternoon. It'll be built at UNLV’s Harry Reid Research and Technology Park.

Mitch Cloward, president of Intermountain Health’s Desert Region, which includes southern Nevada and southwest Utah, said the new facility will offer more specialized care to children and families closer to where they live.

“This is the first step toward our partnership with our community to bring this long-needed, stand-alone children’s hospital to Las Vegas,” Cloward said in a statement.

At the ceremony, officials unveiled a sign which reads, "Future home of Nevada's first stand-alone children's hospital."

Lawrence Barnard, assistant vice president of pediatrics at Intermountain Health, told KSNV-TV that it's a "big deal for the city."

"This has been a 40-year story," Barnard told KSNV-TV. "Since I've been in this town, we've talked about a standalone children's hospital."

The new hospital will mean families won't have to travel outside of Nevada for specialized care.

"Instead of it being states away, care will be minutes away," Barnard said.

Intermountain has started work on designs and architecture, and Barnard said the system is beginning to recruit clinicians, which he said will be the hardest part.

The health system is also planning a major push to raise funds for the new facility. The Intermountain Health Foundation will build partnerships with community leaders and donors.

David Flood, Intermountain Health chief development officer, said philanthropy is going to play a critical role in the development of the new hospital.

“We invite our neighbors and community leaders to be part of something truly transformative that will not only expand access to healthcare but also strengthen the very fabric of our community," Flood said in a statement.

Intermountain said a groundbreaking for the new pediatric hospital will take place in 2025, with an estimated opening date in 2030. The system said more details on the project would be released at a later date.

The health system has been expanding pediatric services in recent years, and Intermountain has engaged in ambitious fundraising efforts to support that work.

Intermountain has been engaged in a $600 million fundraising campaign to offer more pediatric services.

The system opened the second campus of its Primary Children’s Hospital, the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Campus, in February. The campus includes the new, five-story hospital, along with outpatient facilities, behavioral health services and a medical office building.

Katy Welkie, CEO of Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital and vice president of Intermountain Children’s Health, told Chief Healthcare Executive® in March that the fundraising campaign's success reflects an organizational commitment.

"I think taking a whole organization and focusing them on a particular effort makes a big difference,” Welkie said.

• Read more: Inside Intermountain Health's new children's hospital