Millennium Arena may not happen until new millennium

Diana Sahagun

Wednesday, Nov. 17, 1999 | 9:48 a.m.

It comes as no surprise, but the Millennium Arena, which brings to mind wild New Year's Eve festivities, won't be open in time for New Year's. In fact, the proposed site is nothing more than chain-link fence at the corner of Van Der Meer Street and Las Vegas Boulevard in North Las Vegas, with a small construction trailer and lots of desert.

There is no 4,500-seat arena and no signs of construction on the 12.4-acre site, on which ground was supposed to be broken in October 1998.

Millennium Arena Inc., which has a contract with the Zelzah Shrine Temple to hold the annual Shriners circus at the arena for the next 10 years, has had trouble financing the project.

Company representatives are set to attend next Tuesday's Planning Commission meeting and ask for a year's extension on the use permit for the project at 2845 Las Vegas Boulevard North.

In a letter to the city's Redevelopment Agency, Millennium Arena Inc. said it is nearing a close of financing for the project. The company has applied to the agency for a grant as part of its financing.

Redevelopment Manager Jacque Risner said she could not comment on the specifics of the grant because it is still in the negotiation stage.

Reed Mitchell, president of Millennium Arena Inc., said Tuesday that he could not elaborate on the project: "We're working away, and that's our comment," he said.

While the numbers may have changed, in June Mitchell and his partners were asking the agency for a $250,000 grant to offset the arena's permit and inspection fees plus street improvements and the cost of a traffic signal.

Risner said if approved, the grant would create a public/private relationship, with the redevelopment agency participating in costs needed to construct the arena. The arena is in the agency's north redevelopment area.

A number of permits have expired since Mitchell first approached the Planning Commission on Dec. 10, 1997.

The use permit for a special events center in a commercial district has since expired, as has a building permit. And there's still more work to be done on a traffic study.

Millennium Arena Inc. still needs to conduct a traffic study and sign a cost participation agreement before the project can receive final approval.

Kelly Chuma of the city department of Development and Flood Control, said the traffic study and agreement typically costs thousands of dollars.

Because of the time lapse, the arena's original site plans may have to be revamped, according to staff reports. Although the Planning Commission approved site plans in April 1998, new city commercial design standards have since been adopted. The original site plans no longer meet the new standards, and if an extension of time is granted, the stadium may have to be designed to conform.

Risner said Millennium Arena Inc. will have to meet all the city's standards, which include getting all the necessary permits, before a grant agreement is awarded.

Tentative plans call for a 60,000-square-foot hall with bleacher style seating, and a 160-seat, country-style restaurant with limited gaming. According to documents, the arena would bring in $6 million annually to the city. The proposal indicates there will be a central floor arena for events such as rodeos, concerts and small displays.

George Coffman, senior project manager of Martin Harris Construction, which is the main contractor for the arena, said as far as he knows, the project is still a go.

"Right now the funding is being confirmed and everything's positive for the project," he said. He added that several dates have been mentioned to begin construction, by February or March. "They have every intention of building this arena."

The Zelzah Shrine Temple signed a 10-year contract in 1998 to hold its annual circus at the Millennium Arena. The circus, scheduled for last Aug. 13-15, was supposed to be the first event held at the facility. It instead was relocated to the parking lot at Sunset Station in late October.

Donald Daum, recorder for the Shriners, said there has been no financial loss, just inconvenience.

"We had to kind of scramble around a little bit, but we got it taken care of," he said, referring to relocating the circus. "We'd like to see it happen. ... We keep waiting in anticipation, hoping something will come out of it."