Editorial: Neonopolis is creating the jitters

Monday, Dec. 6, 1999 | 9:10 a.m.

Neonopolis, a $99 million urban entertainment center that is supposed to help revitalize downtown Las Vegas, is having trouble getting off the ground. Mann Theatres had been signed to anchor the complex, bringing with it 11 screens. But Mann's parent company filed for bankruptcy in September, and after a bankruptcy court in Delaware terminated Mann's lease with Neonopolis, the project developers have been scrambling to find another theater company to fill the void. So far they haven't found any success.

Understandably, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is impatient over the lack of progress. So at a news conference on Thursday Goodman told reporters that if Neonopolis' developers don't have a movie theater tenant signed soon to anchor the entertainment center, he's ready to take over. Goodman wants better answers about the status of Neonopolis by Feb. 1. "If not, then the mayor will have to take matters into his own hands," Goodman said.

In addition, Goodman has doubts about the project's overall concept, believing it may need to be discarded. Goodman has acknowledged that if a theater tenant can't be landed quickly, he may even consider rezoning the property so a casino could be built. But building another casino would seem to be at odds with the current strategy to revitalize downtown, which would bring more retail shops and restaurants in a bid to lure local residents and tourists back to the area.

Getting an anchor for the project is essential. Other businesses, such as retail stores and restaurants, will be leery to sign on until a major attraction is settled upon. While it is encouraging to see Goodman crack the whip, he shouldn't quickly depart from the existing strategy to revitalize downtown. There's nothing wrong with reassessing the city's progress, but at this time it is difficult to see how one more casino in downtown is going to serve as a magnet to get Las Vegas Valley residents to rediscover the area.