By Derek Draplin | The Center Square

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management sold more than 660 acres of public land for over $171.2 million, money that will go toward funding other projects on federal public lands.

The 36 parcels, which the BLM said ranged from 1.87 to 270 acres, were sold under the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA).

"These land sales that support SNPLMA and pay for the expansion of parks, trails, natural recreation areas and conservation align the BLM and the City of North Las Vegas in our shared goal of improving quality of life in Southern Nevada,” North Las Vegas Mayor John J. Lee.

Lee also said the sales, which are nominated by local government, will mean economic diversification for the region. 

“Nearly 50 percent of the land available in the Las Vegas Valley is in the City of North Las Vegas, and transforming this unused dirt into real estate guarantees continued economic diversification for Southern Nevada," he added. 

In addition to funding public land projects, the BLM said 10 percent of the $171,205,000 in funds will go to the Southern Nevada Water Authority, with five percent going to the Nevada State General Education Fund. 

The largest sale was a 270 acre parcel for $43,200,000, while two five-acre parcels were sold for $250,000. 

There were 24 parcels that didn’t sell, which would need to be “re-nominated for consideration at future land sales by the local government,” the BLM said.