Bonnie Springs is closing this month.

The beloved western-themed attraction out at Red Rock Canyon was home to a bar, restaurant, motel and petting zoo.

The property dates back to 1843 when it was a stopover for wagons traveling west, and it’s been in its current form since Bonnie McGaugh Levinson purchased it in 1958.

McGaugh Levinson died last year, and her family sold the property.

Now, the new owners want to build luxury homes there.

Like every proposal having to do with development in Red Rock, of course there’s opposition.

Under the plan, the developer would like to build 20 homes on the 64 acres of land, along with an events center and a bed and breakfast.

But almost immediately after the story broke, an online petition started, opposing the sale and asking that Bonnie Springs be designated a historic landmark. The petition has over 55,000 signatures.

Shea Johnson, who has been covering the story for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, says the petition can't do much.

"We know that even if something is made a historic landmark it doesn't preclude it from being sold or developed," he said. "Basically, all that would do would say, 'this is something that has historical value.'"

Johnson said there two basic arguments when it comes to the opposition to development at Bonnie Springs. The first is a feeling of nostalgia by longtime residents of Southern Nevada who visited the ranch as kids.

The second argument is that the development will destroy one of the most beautiful areas in Southern Nevada and it will open other areas of private land surrounding Red Rock for development.

"The Levinson family has decided they no longer want to operate this ranch, but the secondary issue is then what should happen with it," Johnson said.