Wynns out of sports arena plans

Erin Neff and Adrienne Packer

Thursday, May 4, 2000 | 11:02 a.m.

The momentum, prestige and power behind plans for a sports arena and performing arts center have become distracting for the couple who originally initiated the talks.

Not even a year after proposing the two facilities, both Mirage Resorts Chairman Steve Wynn and his wife, Elaine, have completely turned the proposals over to local government and civil leaders.

Yet local advocates of both projects remain confident the two facilities can be built.

"I met with Elaine last Friday, and she indicated to me that because of the new project with the (Desert Inn) that she's going to be spending time helping Steve with that," Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said.

"She never ever hinted to me that she lost interest in it," he added. "The whole thrust of it was that I needed to involve other people from the community."

Goodman also said Elaine Wynn was frustrated about the lack of progress on the proposal and by the lack of support from other private sector leaders.

Neither Elaine nor Steve Wynn could be reached this morning.

Steve Wynn confirmed last week that he was buying the Desert Inn, its golf course and acres of land adjacent to the Strip resort. In March he announced the $6.7 billion sale of Mirage Resorts Inc. to MGM Grand Inc.

The Wynns' decision to focus on the Desert Inn project has meant others will have to work harder.

"She's such a driving force," said City Councilman Gary Reese. "This is a woman who, to me, is a finisher. She gets things done."

Reese said he hasn't given up on the project but thinks others will have to step to the forefront.

Union Pacific Railroad and Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. each own portions of a 178-acre vacant swatch of land adjacent to the Spaghetti Bowl and downtown's casinos.

Union Pacific's 120 acres is nearest the Clark County Government Center. Lehman Brother's 61 acres is closest to the Spaghetti Bowl. The property is viewed as a natural location for either a sports arena or performing arts center or both.

Plans call for the first phase of the proposed center to cost $65 million.

Elected officials rode the momentum of an announcement by the Wynns last June that the community would support both a sports arena and performing arts center. Local gaming, tourism and elected leaders were shown results of a study conducted by politically connected national pollster Frank Luntz.

After the meeting, Goodman and Clark County Commission Chairman Bruce Woodbury led an ad hoc committee studying the feasibility of both projects.

But by December, the committee was disheartened by news from NBA Commissioner David Stern about Las Vegas' chances for a professional basketball franchise.

The committee -- which really focused on the sports arena -- has since disbanded, even though local efforts to build a performing arts center remain so viable that competing groups continue to propose locations for such centers.