LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – It’s a party every weekend that neighbors feel they’re forced to attend but aren’t invited to.
A wedding venue in the northwest valley, The Lotus House, is leaving those living around it not loving the noise, lights, and smells that come with some couples happily ever after.
Mark Freeland, for one, is separated from the property by only his backyard wall and said most weekends are “a nightmare.”
“Even in the winter, they’ll bring out the heat lamps and we’ll still get occasional parties in the winter. The heat in the summer doesn’t tend to stop them either,” Freeland said in his backyard Friday morning. “Every once in a while, you’ll get a lot of marijuana smoke coming over, depending on the party.”
Further down the street, Tracie C., as she identified herself, said strobe and ambiance lighting shines brightly into her 10-year-old’s bedroom. She calls them “stadium lights.”
“When he’s trying to go to sleep, the spotlights are right in his window and he’s just always complaining,” Tracie said outside her home Friday morning. “I just don’t think it’s appropriate to have a wedding venue in a neighborhood.”
But the common problem between them all: the noise.
Tracie’s nearby neighbor, who did not want to be identified, said they’ve recorded the venue’s music from their second-floor balcony at 90 decibels and shared a video of it to 8 News Now.
“Anytime somebody gets on a mic, that reverberates off the houses a lot. That’s really loud,” the neighbor said in the community’s dog park bordering one wall of the venue Friday morning.
The owners confirm there is a 10 p.m. noise curfew. But, the moving trucks, equipment deconstruction, and other take-down efforts last far beyond that curfew, neighbors say.
“Sometimes that’s up until midnight, one a.m.,” the neighbor said. “They’ve been up until 2 a.m. cleaning.”
They’re problems not all neighbors share, however.
Other residents, speaking to 8 News Now off camera, say what is there now is much better than the abandoned and private property that once stood there before the venue. These residents, along with the owners, say squatters and illegal activity frequented the structure.
In a statement to 8 News Now, one of the owners, Lincoln Rogers, indicates they are operating under proper local ordinances and are sympathetic to the above neighbors’ concerns:
“The Lotus House has been in operation since 2020 and prides itself on being a community partner. Prior to the Lotus House team purchasing and improving the property, it was a blight in the neighborhood attracting vandals and criminal activity. Now it is a premier location for weddings, family reunions, and events. Special event venues must adhere to strict codes of conduct per City of Las Vegas Municipal Code, and we strive to not only meet those standards, but to exceed them. Our track record speaks for itself as we have not had any issues with the city, and when the City Council approved the Lotus Hose there were more than 50 neighbors who commented on behalf of the project. We respect our neighbors and are always happy to meet with them and work towards mutually beneficial solutions.”
But neighbors like Freeland and Tracie shared that despite contacting city officials and the owners directly, the concerns are not mitigated and the parties continue to disturb.
“The music, you know, it’s like Cardi B, WAP. Things you just don’t want your kids to hear,” Tracie said, rubbing her pregnant stomach. “They don’t seem to care.”
“Not having the crime of teenagers breaking in there was great, but it was a lot quieter,” Freeland said, looking at his backyard wall. “I wouldn’t say they’ve done anything better, certainly not for us.”
Neighbors 8 News Now spoke to gave varying solutions they’d like to see, from more trees and vegetation to increase the noise barrier to shutting down the operation altogether.
8 News Now attempted to contact Las Vegas City Councilwoman Nancy Brune Thursday and Friday to verify if she is aware of these concerns, but did not hear back by the time of this article’s posting.
However, important to note, Las Vegas City Hall is closed on Fridays.
