Development · Southwest Las Vegas
Canarelli family commits $50 million toward Nevada's first stand-alone children's hospital in southwest Las Vegas
Larry and Heidi Canarelli pledged $50 million to Intermountain Health's planned children's hospital, which will name its inpatient tower for them. Intermountain expects to break ground later this month.
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What happened
Larry and Heidi Canarelli have committed $50 million to help build what Intermountain Health describes as Nevada's first comprehensive, stand-alone children's hospital, the Las Vegas Sun reported Tuesday. The Canarelli family has built homes in Southern Nevada for decades, and Larry Canarelli founded American West Homes in 1984.
The hospital is planned for UNLV's Harry Reid Research and Technology Park in southwest Las Vegas. According to the Sun, Intermountain said it expects to break ground there later this month.
In Intermountain's news release, the couple said, "Every child deserves access to great care close to home." They added that they hope the gift helps keep more Nevada families together during hard times.
What the hospital will include
The Canarelli Inpatient Tower
Intermountain will name the hospital's inpatient tower the Larry & Heidi Canarelli Inpatient Tower in recognition of the gift. The Sun reported the tower is scheduled to open in 2030 with 180 inpatient beds and space to grow to 228.
Planned services
Planned services include a trauma center, an emergency department, pediatric intensive care and the state's highest-level newborn intensive care unit. The hospital is also slated to have a cancer center, behavioral health services, a child abuse treatment center, and advanced medical and surgical specialties. Intermountain said the gift will also help it recruit pediatric experts and strengthen services such as pediatric behavioral health across Nevada.
Why Intermountain says Nevada needs it
Intermountain has said Las Vegas is the largest metropolitan area in the country without a stand-alone children's hospital. It has also said Nevada ranks 48th in the nation in pediatricians per capita and that nearly 30,000 Nevada families travel out of state each year for their children's care. For more on medical training in the valley, see our report on the residency gap in the Las Vegas Medical District.
Mitch Cloward, Intermountain Health region president, said local children needing the highest level of intensive care would soon be able to get it in Las Vegas. "This kind of access changes what is possible for families when every hour, every step and every mile matters," Cloward said, according to the Sun.
How the project is being paid for
Intermountain, a Salt Lake City-based nonprofit, has put the project's cost at more than $1 billion and committed to fund two-thirds of it, the Sun reported. The Nevada Campaign for Kids, Intermountain's fundraising effort for the hospital, launched Oct. 27, 2025, at MGM Grand. Intermountain has said the hospital will create about 1,300 jobs and bring an estimated $800 million in annual economic impact to the county.
Other major gifts
The Las Vegas Raiders announced a $25 million gift Aug. 24, which the team called the largest philanthropic commitment in its history. Owners Mark Davis, Egon Durban and Michael Meldman each gave $5 million, and the organization added $10 million. In May, the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust committed $20 million to expand pediatric behavioral health services in Nevada.
Campaign leadership
MGM Resorts International CEO Bill Hornbuckle and his wife, Wendy, co-chair the campaign. In a joint statement, they said the Canarellis had added major momentum to the effort and that they are now asking others in the state to contribute.
Approvals and timeline
Intermountain announced its plans for the hospital in October 2024. On May 20, Clark County commissioners unanimously approved the development and use permits for the hospital, along with a use permit for a heliport, during a zoning commission meeting, the Sun reported.
Intermountain operates facilities in Nevada and five other Western states. The system has 34 hospitals, about 400 clinics and a health plan, Select Health, with more than 1 million members.
What to watch next
- Intermountain expects to break ground on the hospital at UNLV's Harry Reid Research and Technology Park later this month.
- The Nevada Campaign for Kids is still seeking donations, with its co-chairs asking others in the state to give.
- The Larry & Heidi Canarelli Inpatient Tower is scheduled to open in 2030 with 180 beds.
