LAS VEGAS – A county board voted unanimously Tuesday to rename busy McCarran International Airport after former U.S. Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada.
The all-Democratic Clark County Commission approved a measure directing the county’s airport staff to file a change with the Federal Aviation Administration renaming the facility Harry Reid International Airport.
The county commission oversees the airport and is the final authority on a name change.
There have been long-standing calls to rename the airport. Its present namesake, Patrick McCarran, served as one of Nevada’s two U.S. senators from 1933 till his demise in 1954. He was recognized for his contributions to aviation along with his anti-immigrant and anti-Semitic views.
Reid, a Democrat, and the former Senate majority chief retired in 2016 after serving 30 years. The proposal was put forward by Commissioner Tick Segerblom, a former chair of the state Democratic Party who announced last week he’s again running for the chairmanship.
The FAA must take steps to process a name change before officially recognizing it. That’s likely to take a few months.
The proposal drew public assist from longtime Reid aides and supporters, including Dan Hamilton, dean of the law school at the College of Nevada-Las Vegas; Stephen Cloobeck, founder of Diamond Resorts International and a major Democratic donor; and MGM Resorts, which has Reid co-chairing its public policy institute.
McCarran, a Democrat, was the author of the 1938 Civil Aeronautics Act, which established the federal government’s role in overseeing aviation by regulating airline fares and investigating accidents.
Other individuals spoke about Reid’s support for Nevada’s diverse communities and his legacy, including his work to make Nevada an early presidential nominating state starting in 2008 for both the Democratic and Republican parties. The move gave the small state an outsized voice in the presidential field.
Some members of the public questioned why officials would rename the airport after a politician, especially one who was polarizing and did not enjoy the same popularity outside his own political party.
Few suggested selecting one thing extra impartial similar to Las Vegas International Airport and stated that amid the pandemic, the county should not spend several million dollars rebranding the airport. Segerblom stated the name change would be paid for entirely by private contributions, not taxpayer money.
