LAS VEGAS (KTNV) – Another cultural district could soon be coming to Clark County.

On Tuesday, commissioners approved the next steps for Filipino Town, which would be located on Maryland Parkway between Flamingo Road and Desert Inn Road.

Clark County

The idea has been championed by community leaders like Rozita Villanueva Lee.

Lee is 90 years old and has lived in Las Vegas for 45 years. She told commissioners that she has been visiting the proposed location for Filipino Town for years.

“The reason I was going there is because we had the Boulevard Mall and it was a place where you could shop. Then in 2007, a new entity came along and that was Seafood City. Seafood City is a Filipino market where you can find everything “Lee said.

He noted that Seafood City has become a place where the Filipino community organizes parades, celebrations and has even become a voting location.

“Since people were going there, why don’t we register them to vote? So we have registered people to vote there,” Lee said. “We still have a polling place for Filipinos in particular, but it is for anyone who wants to vote there.”

Local businesses said the cultural designation would also encourage other Filipino businesses to open in the area.

“The Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Nevada firmly believes that such designation will have a lasting impact on businesses,” said President Joel Enriquez. “Upon the creation of this designation, the chamber commits to be, in the future, part of a Philippine Development Corporation that ensures its growth and viability for the future. We believe that it is business-led. But at the same time, This will create a legacy for Filipino-Americans, especially those who live in our county.”

For others, it is a place where members of their community feel like they belong.

“Filipino Town has become a space where our stories can be preserved and passed down so that people like me, people in their 30s, can preserve the community for the future. It can connect us across generations in a way that is real,” the restaurant said. owner Walbert Castillo. “It’s about creating a welcoming and safe space. It creates a sense of home for everyone, regardless of how far they feel from their Filipino identity.”

As for Lee, he said that after years of planning and dreaming, they are excited to see Filipino Town become a reality.

“We’re very proud of what we’ve done and very happy,” Lee said. “This is an idea whose time has come.”

As for next steps, Clark County officials are moving forward with business licensing and comprehensive planning. County officials will then contact the business owners and appear before the Paradise Town Board.

After that, officials would return to the county commission to provide feedback and learn next steps.

This will be the last cultural district approved in Clark County.

Last year, commissioners Approved Little Ethiopiawhich is located between Twain Avenue, University Avenue and Decatur Boulevard.