Las Vegas courting MLS team

Erin Neff

Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2000 | 10:34 a.m.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman has talked with NBA owners, sat ringside with hockey executives and tossed baseballs with Philadelphia Phillies.

But last Thursday he got his kicks, literally, when Lamar Hunt and Major League Soccer executive vice president John Ertmann visited town with talk of bringing a pro soccer franchise here.

Hunt, the owner of the Kansas City Chiefs and two MLS franchises, said he thought Las Vegas would be a great place for a pro soccer team.

"He seriously believes that soccer is the sport of the future, not just because of demographics, but because so many families are involved in the sport," Goodman said. "I don't know much about soccer, but when I drive around on Saturday I see families everywhere playing."

For the past 40 years Hunt has invested in sports franchises and arenas in the Midwest, and currently owns the MLS' Columbus Crew and Kansas City Wiz.

Goodman said Hunt isn't interested in moving one of his teams here, but talked with him in general terms about Vegas' chances for pro soccer. Hunt, 68, and his son Clark serve on the MLS Board of Directors.

Currently, there are two MLS franchises without ownership being run by the league -- the Dallas Burn and the Tampa Bay Mutiny.

In recent weeks Goodman has met with dozens of sports, movie and business executives about the possible development of a 61.5-acre parcel of land downtown that the city expects to get in a September land swap.

Outside of the Midwest, Hunt is perhaps most associated with the American Football Conference-winning trophy, named in his honor. Hunt founded the American Football League and was instrumental in the 1966 merger of the AFL and National Football League.