Is Bullhead City a Dying Town and how do we save it? (Phoenix: sex offenders, crime)

[Bruce Jackpot]

Taos has some big-time Texas money/influence and Durango- a lot of second homes for the Denver/Albuquerque crowd and I think they get some seasonal hiking/horseback riding tourism. No surprise either would punch above their weight.

Sounds like BHC needs to do some re-branding of sorts I dunno. Like re-invent itself.

[Packard fan]

Originally Posted by jamies

I took a trip around the Southwest and not one town has the number of empty buildings as BHC. Gallup, NM isn't doing great, but their downtown is slowly renovating.

Cities like Taos and Durango, with far smaller populations have much more business.

I'll go by what you've said because I don't get out that much. Tho I did go to Kingman yesterday and, it's storefront vacancy rate is MUCH less than Bullhead's. At least on Andy Devine, Beale and Stockton Hill Road.

[bigdogmom13]

Originally Posted by Bruce Jackpot

Taos has some big-time Texas money/influence and Durango- a lot of second homes for the Denver/Albuquerque crowd and I think they get some seasonal hiking/horseback riding tourism.

Taos and Durango both have nearby skiing. Durango has a four year college; Taos has an old, well-established artists' colony. Both towns are surrounded by gorgeous scenery, making them great tourist destinations.

[Packard fan]

Any more word in what's going on here in Bullhead? It's to the point I'm getting ready to bail.

This city seems to be getting worse and worse every month.

[chop suzy]

One thing to think about in Bullhead City or even Fort Mohave is medical care. There isn't much and it's not top quality. Most doctors don't stick around long after they get there. You really have to travel to Las Vegas or even Phoenix to get a good specialist.

I worked as a volunteer at the hospital in Bullhead City and got a real education about the quality of medical care in the area (I think the hospital in Fort Mohave is comparable). This hospital is referred to as a "taxi stop on the way to Las Vegas". The helicopter is in and out all day taking patients to Las Vegas because of the lack of medical expertise in the area. Just something to ponder.

We moved out of Laughlin after ten years. One of the major reasons for our move was of all the Section 8 housing moving into the area and the lack of shopping in Laughlin/Bullhead City. The whole area is going down hill IMHO. We moved out of state and haven't looked back. Laughlin/Bullhead City is fine if you are content with lower quality and don't expect too much. The Colorado River is beautiful but that's about it.

There is no growth in Laughlin and won't be. Las Vegas/Clark County keeps it heel on the throat of Laughlin and keeps it down (competition). There was a major investor who wanted to build a marina, condos, etc. on Needles Hwy. He built the marina and was trying to get approval for the condos. Clark County made it so impossible for him to complete his project by constantly rejecting his building permits he said "f..k it I'm going back to California". The marina sits there bank owned and rotting. Lots of jobs lost in that loss.

I would'nt look too much to the future in that area. What you see is what you are going to get. Young people coming to the area for entertainment is not a realistic possibility. The question we got when we lived there was "how did you end up there?". Not a glowing review of the area.

Just saying.

[Packard fan]

Originally Posted by chop suzy

One thing to think about in Bullhead City or even Fort Mohave is medical care. There isn't much and it's not top quality. Most doctors don't stick around long after they get there. You really have to travel to Las Vegas or even Phoenix to get a good specialist.

I worked as a volunteer at the hospital in Bullhead City and got a real education about the quality of medical care in the area (I think the hospital in Fort Mohave is comparable). This hospital is referred to as a "taxi stop on the way to Las Vegas". The helicopter is in and out all day taking patients to Las Vegas because of the lack of medical expertise in the area. Just something to ponder.

We moved out of Laughlin after ten years. One of the major reasons for our move was of all the Section 8 housing moving into the area and the lack of shopping in Laughlin/Bullhead City. The whole area is going down hill IMHO. We moved out of state and haven't looked back. Laughlin/Bullhead City is fine if you are content with lower quality and don't expect too much. The Colorado River is beautiful but that's about it.

There is no growth in Laughlin and won't be. Las Vegas/Clark County keeps it heel on the throat of Laughlin and keeps it down (competition). There was a major investor who wanted to build a marina, condos, etc. on Needles Hwy. He built the marina and was trying to get approval for the condos. Clark County made it so impossible for him to complete his project by constantly rejecting his building permits he said "f..k it I'm going back to California". The marina sits there bank owned and rotting. Lots of jobs lost in that loss.

I would'nt look too much to the future in that area. What you see is what you are going to get. Young people coming to the area for entertainment is not a realistic possibility. The question we got when we lived there was "how did you end up there?". Not a glowing review of the area.

Just saying.

I'm afraid you're right. I moved here almost 3 years ago and Bullhead IMHO has gotten worse.

The real weird part about it is Needles across the river in Cali seems to have hit "bottom" and is in its way back.

[TwinbrookNine]

[quote=Oldwestgambler;38036799]I have a vacation home in Bullhead City and I've been coming to Laughlin / Bullhead City for the last 24 years as a tourist and a fan of the beautiful town and area. It's so sad to see the current economic condition of the Laughlin casinos, Bullhead City and of course the big drop in tourism. I also have a place near Palm Springs California and I see a lot in common with the two cities in terms of history and tourism.

Palm Springs was the place to be years ago until the town squashed its tourism by stopping all the fun to please the older population that lived there full time ( Thanks Sonny Bono). Tourism stopped, businesses closed and home values crashed to record lows.


Retirees are broke. FYI, they were getting 6 - 7 % interest on their CD's until 2008; many were wiped out in the stock market crash. The real estate in PS went the same way as everywhere else. The comeback has been hampered recently by a Loonie which has lost over 20% of its value in just a year, and Canadians are a big part of the realty market. Yup - it ain't what it was just 8 years ago. But Sonny Bono?

Sonny Bono brought Palm Springs up ten notches. I remember it before he took over. Not much to attract tourists and just a wheeless version of Quartzite for all intents and purposes. (But it had its hotspots and yes, you had to be a local to know about them). BTW, I remember we visited PS in 1965. It was the first time I saw those rock glasses with the connected chain that went around your neck with some clever saying regarding libations on the glass. I was quite impressed.

[jamies]

I was just down on the border in Az for a week. Sierra Vista, similar in size to BHC, way more robust economy, very few empty commercial properties. Same with Bisbee, Tombstone, Tucson. Only place more depressed that I've seen is Ajo. And even they have NEW pavement and sidewalks! Yes they have Fed money for military and border patrol, but we have the River!

The crime and general thuggery in BCH seems to be increasing this season. Traffic is way up, so that might be a good sign. One thing I do see is some new construction in BHC that I don't see south of the I 10. Also our scenery and river kicks butt on these other towns. We should be doing better.

I think for retired people with a good income, living in a $375k pool home on the parkway, with a boat and $450k motor home - life in BHC is good.

But those of us west of 95, who have to deal with druggie, thug neighbors with trashed out properties, dead cars on dead front yards filled with weeds, dangerous and barking dogs - constant arrests - my block has has 122 plus police calls in four years! For us regular people trying to build futures, Bullhead SUCKS!

I don't have the answer - if I did I'd either be living on the parkway, or in Aspen! But the future here looks shaky to me. I haven't given up, yet, but I am starting to look at alternatives.

[Packard fan]

Originally Posted by jamies

I was just down on the border in Az for a week. Sierra Vista, similar in size to BHC, way more robust economy, very few empty commercial properties. Same with Bisbee, Tombstone, Tucson. Only place more depressed that I've seen is Ajo. And even they have NEW pavement and sidewalks! Yes they have Fed money for military and border patrol, but we have the River!

The crime and general thuggery in BCH seems to be increasing this season. Traffic is way up, so that might be a good sign. One thing I do see is some new construction in BHC that I don't see south of the I 10. Also our scenery and river kicks butt on these other towns. We should be doing better.

I think for retired people with a good income, living in a $375k pool home on the parkway, with a boat and $450k motor home - life in BHC is good.

But those of us west of 95, who have to deal with druggie, thug neighbors with trashed out properties, dead cars on dead front yards filled with weeds, dangerous and barking dogs - constant arrests - my block has has 122 plus police calls in four years! For us regular people trying to build futures, Bullhead SUCKS!

I don't have the answer - if I did I'd either be living on the parkway, or in Aspen! But the future here looks shaky to me. I haven't given up, yet, but I am starting to look at alternatives.

Agreed tho not all of the river side of 95's bad.

Parkway: pass. The big draw of Bullhead's the river for me. My fave part of town is the golf course off of Mohave, it's straight up pretty there.

The biggest problem IMHO is Laughlin. I say that because gambling towns attract a "different" kind of people to be nice. Sierra Vista's def a military town but word is it's a center of army intel. That kind of soldier ain't exactly the bottom of the barrel, even in civilian life.

[Packard fan]

1 thing I'm seeing a LOT of is looking at Bullhead City police reports is the crazy numbers of women being arrested for drugs, fighting and so on. Usually it's us dudes who act stupid and get picked up but the women seen to be getting busted more often than us.

I don't know where I'm going with this but; it gives me a sick feeling since most of these "ladies" ain't young, many are above 40 years old.