Gaming chairman successor will come from north

Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2001 | 11:06 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The next chairman of the powerful Nevada Gaming Commission will come from Northern Nevada and will be an attorney, the governor said today. Gov. Kenny Guinn said he will likely name a replacement next week for Brian Sandoval of Reno, who resigned Aug. 1.

One name being mentioned is former Assemblyman Bob Sader, a Democrat from Washoe County. Guinn confirmed Sader is on his short list, and he will meet with him to talk about the job.

Sader is a lawyer, involved mostly with commercial law. While in the Legislature, he was chairman of the Assembly Judiciary Committee that processed most of the gaming legislation.

The governor said he is going to keep the 3-2 split between Southern Nevada and Northern Nevada on the commission. There are three commissioners from Clark County -- Arthur Marshall, Augie Gurrola and Radha Chanderraj. Former Lt. Gov. Sue Wagner of Reno is the only Northern Nevada member after Sandoval's departure. According to gaming officials, there has never been a 4-1 split with the majority coming from Clark County in recent history. The governor is also looking for somebody with no gaming ties.

The law says there can't be more than three people from one political party on the commission. In this case, Guinn is free to name somebody from either party. Marshall is a Democrat, Wagner and Chanderraj are Republicans and Gurrola is an independent.

Guinn said he has a short list but declined to release any of the names. There has been speculation that Clark County District Attorney Stewart Bell and state Sen. Mark James, R-Las Vegas, were among those being considered.

The resignation of Sandoval brought a flock of applications for the job that pays $55,000 a year. Guinn noted that with the departure of Sandoval, there is no lawyer on the commission. And he thinks that it's important to have an attorney leading the commission that regulates Nevada's biggest industry.

He also said the office of the chairman is in Northern Nevada, and it would help the flow of work to have the chairman near the central offices of the state Gaming Control and commission.

Another name that has been mentioned as a possible successor is Assistant Chief Deputy Attorney General Jeff Rodefer. However, Rodefer is a Southern Nevadan.

Gaming Control Board member Scott Scherer has also been discussed as a possible successor. Scherer is a former resident of the Las Vegas area, and represented Las Vegas for two terms in the state assembly, but is now based in Carson City.