Developers announced ambitious projects in 2008 to build hotels, casinos, shopping malls, restaurants and housing developments.

Many have fallen short.

The economy and the tight credit situation played a role in stifling some projects. Bureaucratic delays were faulted in others.

Here are some examples of major projects that were announced this year and their latest status.

* Golden Gaming Inc. held a formal press conference June 25 to announce they will break ground after Labor Day on a $10 million, octoplex movie theater, children's arcade and additional gaming area at the Pahrump Nugget Hotel and Gambling Hall.

Golden Gaming held a "groundbreaking" indoors in August to tout the construction of the project, expected to be completed by Memorial Day.

Christopher Abraham, Golden Gaming vice-president of marketing, recently issued the following prepared statement:

"We remain committed to bringing a first-class, multi-screen cinema to our property in Pahrump. Our project design is complete and negotiations with potential theater operators are nearly finalized. However, the ability to obtain financing in the existing credit environment has forced us to delay this project until markets become more receptive."

* Property owner Drew Alexander told the Pahrump Regional Planning Commission Feb. 13 he could be ready in a couple weeks to begin building a three-story, 71-room Holiday Inn Express with a Buffalo Southwest Grill and Casino following a waiver allowing him to share parking with the neighboring business, Wells Fargo Bank, on Highway 160 and Wilson Road.

The project had been pending since Alexander was denied the ability to build in November 2005, because liquor sales were prohibited within 1,500 feet of a school or community facility. That ordinance was amended in January 2006 to cut the distance to 200 feet in general commercial zones.

In October, Alexander asked for a one-year extension on the zoning change. In a letter to Nye County Planning Director Jack Lohman, Alexander said the architect was unable to prepare a set of plans that could be approved by Holiday Inn and had to be replaced.

Finally, the financial institution was taken over by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, he said.

"We're going through all the plan-checking and engineering. We've done all that and I think we will know by the end of the year or the middle of January exactly where we are," Alexander said. "If things work out like I think, we will be starting that project early next year."

The hardest part has been the FDIC hasn't turned loose loans, he said -- the only hurdle remaining in the project.

* A groundbreaking was held, complete with gold-plated shovels, across from Ace Hardware Feb. 6 on the Heritage Plaza shopping center. The 4.3-acre site was leveled to prepare for three buildings, an upscale shopping destination connected by landscaped patios, that were to be a combined 50,200 square feet.

The plan was to open by New Year's Day.

Nick Moore, who presented the plans at the groundbreaking, said they started building a pad for a building when work halted after they were contacted by a theater company. That proposal fell through later, he said.

"Then basically the economy was where it's at now. We decided to wait until the first of the year to start moving forward with it," Moore said.

But he excitedly talked about having a signed intent to lease space in the new buildings from a major company.

"We're a community where we get our hopes up and something falls through the hoops. We don't want to do that. Our intent to lease is pretty rock solid, and the fact they already spent over $100,000 and invested in plans in just our project gives us a lot of confidence this is 99 percent done," Moore said.

* In November 2007, Ganix Bio-Technologies received a conditional use permit to build an indoor, shrimp farm in two 50,000-square-foot buildings on Quarter Horse Avenue.

The plans for the facility included 72 ponds capable of producing 750,000 pounds annually for the Las Vegas market.

The RPC approved the permit aftrer the Nye County code was revised to allow indoor agriculture in the rural homestead zone.

"Right now we're sitting in committee with a couple of banks trying to get this thing underwritten," said Beau Dempsey, director of operations for Ganix Bio-Technologies. "The credit situation right now is a big hurdle for us."

Ganix received the conditional use permit in February and was ready to break ground in April, he said.

"Actually, some banks we were dealing with shut their doors and went under. It's just been killing us right now, trying to get a bank to underwrite this," Dempsey said.

* Another industry with the potential to create 60 jobs or more, a truss factory planned by Sun State Components of Nevada, benefited from a new commercial manufacturing zone approved by Nye County commissioners in 2007.

The 13-acre site was already graded on Ironwood Avenue off South Dandelion Street next to an existing industrial operation, Lewis Equipment Co.

"We're ready to go forward, I believe we just need some market indication that the market's ready to turn around," said Tim Henrichson, of Sun State Components. "We're working with the water company."

* Rumors of a new Walmart store for Pahrump were confirmed in June, when the RPC approved a tentative subdivision map for a 300,000-square-foot shopping center on Irene Street and Highway 160, with Walmart as the anchor tenant.

Brad Jones, project manager for Nigro Development, said, "Everything's moving forward. We're doing all our off-site plans and hope to submit them to the county soon. We're working out our developments with UICN (Utilities Inc. of Central Nevada).

"We still hope to break ground in late first quarter, early second quarter on the off-sites, and I imagine Walmart should break ground soon after," Jones said.

Jones said the traffic impact study calls for building traffic lights at the intersections where Irene Street, Mesquite Avenue and Adkisson Street meet with Highway 160. He anticipates the first light being installed at Highway 160 and Adkisson.

Besides Walmart, which will occupy a 175,000-square-foot store, Jones said developers are talking to various prospective businesses.

* Considerable controversy erupted after county commissioners Feb. 19 rezoned 9.1 acres of land at the Willow Creek golf course for a proposed hotel, casino and remodeled clubhouse. The rezoning was rescinded in November after developers failed to amend the deed providing Willow Creek remain a golf course another 30 years.

The closed property was up for a foreclosure sale Nov. 12 that has been postponed twice; it's now scheduled for Jan. 12.

Antonio Caiati, AMI director of operations, remains optimistic.

* Raja Gangadharan, owner of K-7 Pizza, received a zoning change to general commercial in June with plans to build a 45-room hotel and casino on South Hafen Ranch Road.

"I can get the loan. I think the year 2009 I'll be building it," Gangadharan said. "You will see me applying for site improvements in March, at the latest April."

* Fely Quitevis, representing Rockingham Capital Partners, said the former Donut Shop on Wilson Road will be turned into a sports bar -- pending development of the nearby Ishani Ridge subdivision.

* Focus Property Group announced it was restructuring its debt and reassessing the timing of the Pahrump project back in February. The county commission approved a development agreement allowing Focus to build up to 5,800 homes in September 2006. At that time, company President John Ritter expected home construction to begin in 2009.

"All our projects in Pahrump are essentially on hold. We're still a very big believer in Pahrump, and as soon as the market comes back we want to be part of it," said Mark Fiorentino, Focus senior vice-president of governmental affairs.

The project planned on 920 acres near Manse Road and Highway 160 has an official name now: Stonewater.