NAACP demand for $100 million fund rejected

Thursday, June 29, 2000 | 11:14 a.m.

MGM MIRAGE rejected the NAACP's call for a $100 million fund targeted at west Las Vegas on Wednesday, calling it something "outside the responsibility of any one public company."

Last week, the NAACP demanded creation of the fund as part of a 10-point plan designed to increase the company's outreach efforts to the Las Vegas black community.

In a statement, MGM MIRAGE Co-Chief Executive Danny Wade repeated his company's intent to only accept future contract bids that have a minority component.

Wade also said the company plans to hold a Business Opportunity Expo July 31 "to stimulate our contacts within the African-American business community."

Park Place Entertainment Corp., Wells Fargo Bank, Sprint, U.S. Bank, the state of Nevada, the city of Las Vegas, Clark County and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority will also participate, Wade said.

"We believe these two initiatives are realistic and appropriate first steps toward achieving the goal of increasing opportunities for African-Americans and other minority-owned businesses with our company," Wade said. "The remainder of the demands in (NAACP local President Gene) Collins' plan are outside the responsibility of any one public company."

"Positive results are best achieved through open communication, not demands and threats," Wade wrote in a letter to Collins. "We hope you will agree to join with us in developing programs that are realistic and appropriate."