LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The long-awaited arrival of an Olive Garden in North Las Vegas becomes a reality on Monday when the restaurant opens for business.

Signs announce the May 8 opening at Craig Road and Bruce Street, about a mile and a half west of Interstate 15.

It’s part of the “restaurant row” development along Craig Road. Construction continues on new restaurants just to the west of the Olive Garden, with McDonald’s and El Pollo Loco going up. Not quite as far along, Chili’s, Via 313 Pizzeria, Mo’ Bettahs, Starbucks, Nuro, Green Valley Grocery, Enterprise and Hooters.

  • Olive Garden opens Monday on Craig Road in North Las Vegas, the latest milestone on “restaurant row.” (Greg Haas / 8NewsNow)
  • Looking west on Craig Road, Olive Garden will have McDonald’s and El Pollo Loco as neighbors. (Greg Haas / 8NewsNow)
  • Olive Garden opens Monday at 11 a.m. on Craig Road in North Las Vegas. (Greg Haas / 8NewsNow)
  • A banner announces the May 8 opening of Olive Garden in North Las Vegas. (Greg Haas / 8NewsNow)
  • Work proceeds Friday at the site of a Homewood Suites hotel behind restaurants along Craig Road in North Las Vegas. (Greg Haas / 8NewsNow)
  • Construction signs at the site of Homewood Suites, a Hilton brand. (Greg Haas / 8NewsNow)

Just behind the restaurants, a Homewood Suites is going up. Construction is well under way at the site. Homewood Suites is a Hilton brand, joining several other small hotels in the area including the neighboring My Place Hotel and two hotels to the east: a Hampton Inn and a Best Western. The Cannery Hotel Casino is just to the south.

Along the south side of Craig, Born and Raised and BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse highlight a mix of more retail and restaurants.

All this retail development comes as housing developments are growing out toward the North Las Vegas VA Medical Center, which used to be all alone along the 215 Northern Beltway. There’s still plenty of space, but development continues as good jobs come to the area with the planned 135-acre Helios medical campus. That $5 billion project will be adjacent to the VA hospital along North Pecos Road.

A Sprouts Farmers Market held its grand opening on Friday at a new store at Losee Road and Centennial Parkway, less than 2 miles from the VA hospital.

For years, development proceeded north of Craig Road with few nice sit-down restaurants in the area. But Outback Steakhouse isn’t the only option anymore. The growth spurt that paused with the Great Recession is in high gear now.

The new blitz of choices is an attraction in itself. Now, the choices along restaurant row are starting to feel a little bit like Henderson’s Eastern Avenue just south of the 215 Southern Beltway.

Preparations continued for the Olive Garden opening as crews poured a sidewalk along Craig Road.