Columnist Ron Kantowski: What about spring training?

Friday, April 28, 2000 | 9:57 a.m.

Ron Kantowski's column usually appears Thursday. His notes column appears Tuesday. Reach him at ron@lasvegassun.com or 259-4088. Columnist Dean Juipe has the day off.

No news is ... well, bad news, if you're a Las Vegas fan yearning to watch live pro sports in your backyard.

It has been more than a month since representatives from six major league baseball teams met to discuss the possibility of moving their spring training bases here. Local baseball enthusiasts and city officials blew a lot of smoke after that little confab, but virtually all of it has dissipated by now.

Back on April 4, Stars president Don Logan, the point man for the Las Vegas spring training talks, told the Sun there would be a follow-up meeting within two weeks to formulate a game plan. Well, the two weeks have come and gone. Last week, after that loose deadline passed, Logan said he hadn't heard back from any of the six teams -- the Dodgers, Orioles, Rangers, Astros, Blue Jays and Devil Rays -- who had sent a man to town.

When asked if he still felt their interest was sincere, Logan steadfastly said it was. He told me if I were in the room with the baseball people, I would have believed them, too.

Well, I wasn't in the room, so I don't believe it. Call me skeptical, but I ain't believin' until I see at least one of the following: a blueprint, concrete being poured or some guys with jersey numbers in the 60s shagging fungoes.

In fact, many of the teams that are/were/never were interested in relocating to Las Vegas are actively looking elsewhere. Can't say I blame them, at least until Las Vegas puts a little more than croissant crumbs on the bargaining table.

Such as the $50 million offer that the Yavapai Tribe in Arizona has made to the Dodgers, for instance. According to the Sports Business News, the Rangers and Blue Jays are considering joining the Dodgers in the new spring venture planned for Fort McDowell, Ariz., that would be ready in time for the 2001 season.

Meanwhile, other reports have the Orioles joining forces with the Montreal Expos to build a new facility in Florida, and the Rangers and Astros chatting about doing the same thing in South Texas. But like our situation in Las Vegas, the Texas proposal will depend on a handful of teams -- four is the magic number here while the Texas folks want six -- making the very big commitment to relocate a very big if.

The unknown variable is any wheeling and dealing between the teams and Las Vegas officials that may be happening behind the scenes. But if the guys with the deep suntans and expensive cigars aren't huddled under Maxwell Smart's cone of silence with the local big shots, I'd say the chance of witnessing a 2-1 game at Enron Field is more likely than spring training in Las Vegas.

Mayor Oscar Goodman said Thursday the baseball proposal isn't dead, but most of his sports focus these days is bringing the Houston Rockets to town. The Houston Chronicle reported today that Rockets owner Les Alexander is keen on both Las Vegas and Louisville after taxpayers voted not to build the Rockets a new arena.

Trouble is, the NBA apparently isn't keen on us or them. According to one insider, NBA commissioner David Stern told media during the NBA all-star weekend that Louisville would be a step back for the league and Las Vegas "isn't a city Stern will ever allow an NBA team to move to."

Well, at least good seats for the Silver Bandits are still available.