Nearly a decade after plans to build homes on the defunct Badlands golf course devolved into a protracted and costly legal fight, the Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday found itself back where it started: facing angry criticism and a threat of a new lawsuit over another housing development for the property.

Twenty-one city of Las Vegas employees have accepted voluntary buyouts to help offset the cost of settling pending litigation with the would-be developer of the defunct Badlands golf course. The staffers agreed to retire,