Construction on high-tech center likely to begin in a few months

Diana Sahagun

Friday, Sept. 22, 2000 | 11:18 a.m.

Construction on the dot.com campus that Las Vegas and industry officials are hailing as the dawn of a new, economically recharged downtown will likely get under way in three or four months.

Three of the biggest names in the new computer-Internet economy -- Cisco Systems, AT&T, and Worldwide Wireless Networks Inc. -- are major players in the downtown deal.

Flanked by executives of those companies, Mayor Oscar Goodman predicted the groundbreaking timetable Thursday at his weekly press conference.

The high-tech campus will be built on 10.64 acres of Union Pacific Railroad land. It's the first definitive development initiative in the city's drive to fill nearly 200 acres of land owned by Union Pacific and Lehman Brothers with businesses that will transform the downtown Las Vegas business scene.

On Wednesday, Union Pacific signed a letter of intent to sell the city 10.64 acres of land for $4,287,000, based on $9.25 a square foot. The city has also signed a letter of intent to sell the land to LVDT Redevelopment LLC for the same price.

Cisco Systems Inc. and AT&T will purchase the land for the campus and Worldwide Wireless Networks will develop a 190,000-square foot dot.com "incubator."

An incubator is essentially commercial space that will house various Internet start-ups that need help getting off the ground.

The limited liability lender, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, will set aside 4,000 square feet for the city's use.

Thursday, an optimistic Goodman pegged downtown Las Vegas as "the next Silicon Valley." He said downtown, which has historically lagged behind the Strip in producing revenues, now has a future that is diversified beyond gaming.

"This is the beginning of a new Vegas," Goodman said.

A dozen Internet executives Thursday affirmed Goodman's prediction, saying that Las Vegas will be given first dibs in showcasing advancements in Internet technology.

World Wide Wireless, a wireless communications company with headquarters in Orange, Calif., will have 7,000 square feet for its operations, in addition to the incubator.

The company specializes in high-speed Internet access for businesses, using its privately owned wireless network.

Because the company is able to broadcast Internet service without going through telephone wires, is has less down time and the services can be offered at a lower price, said spokesman Curt Collier.

Jack Tortorice, CEO for the company, said the technology will fill in the gaps where fiber optic lines fail. He added that Silicon Valley is getting too expensive and will be a magnet for those looking for a more reasonable cost of living.

"This will be a rival to Silicon Valley, and even work being done in Los Angeles," he said.

Other tenants include everycontractor.com -- promising a 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week operation -- and NetBooth Corp., a local company specializing in high-speed public Internet access to hotels.

Barbara Hogan, regional manager for Cisco, said the company promises a future "wired home," which will eventually be showcased in the downtown campus.

Goodman quipped, "For 35 years I was afraid of a wired home -- now I am in support of it."

Cisco is considering a seat on the incubator advisory board, Hogan said.

The high-tech campus will include an office complex with restaurants, a park-like setting, and housing for those who live and work in the area.

The 10-acre parcel is the first chunk of an overall plan for development of a 178-acre site bounded by Interstate 15, Charleston and Grand Central Parkway. The site is owned primarily by Union Pacific, with a small portion owned by Lehman Brothers.