In the early 1970s, the MacDonald Family began buying property in the Las Vegas Valley and by 1977, had become the 3rd largest private landowners in the Valley, after Howard Hughes and the Greenspuns Group. 

A 3,200-acre contiguous site running from Eastern Avenue to Gibson Street was named MacDonald Ranch, and divided into four villages. In the early 1980s, the MacDonald family moved back to Las Vegas from Honolulu, and Richard C. MacDonald (Rich) began working to develop the project known as MacDonald Ranch.

Village I was sold to Del Webb (Sun City at Donald Ranch);

Village II became Sunridge at MacDonald Ranch, developed as a mid-priced family community containing four schools, three of them private;

Village III became MacDonald Highlands, a guard-gated luxury community and DragonRidge Golf Course;

Village IV became The Canyons, was entitled and sold to a builder, and subsequently built out.

Upon moving back to Nevada, Rich and Claire also developed office parks, commercial centers, and received many awards in the process.

Mr. MacDonald is noted for being very hands-on and actually lives in MacDonald Highlands, unlike most developers who shun living in their own communities. Mr. MacDonald is noted for being the first one aware of an issue and is quick to deal with problems. He believes that on-site fast problem solving is a benefit to all of his residents, a belief evidently shared by our residents.