Reid, Porter woo Mexican Consulate to Las Vegas

Benjamin Grove

Thursday, March 1, 2001 | 11:20 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., is throwing his political muscle behind an effort to establish a Mexican Consulate in Las Vegas, an issue also touted by state Sen. Jon Porter, R-Henderson.

The Mexican Foreign Ministry has tentatively approved a concept for a permanent Mexican Consulate in Las Vegas, a spokesman for Reid, the Senate's No. 2 Democrat, said today. Now the foreign ministry plans to forward a proposal to the State Department, Reid spokesman Nathan Naylor said.

The purposes of the consulate are still under discussion, but the office could help promote tourism to Las Vegas.

"It's now one of our most important tourism markets," Porter said today.

About 300,000 Mexican tourists visit Las Vegas each year and that number could perhaps double with the aid of a consulate, Porter spokeswoman Maureen Schafer said. In addition, Nevada has roughly 305,000 Hispanic legal residents, a majority of whom are of Mexican decent according to state statistics, Naylor said.

Before any final decisions are made, the Mexican Finance Ministry would need to approve the plan, Naylor said.

Mexican Ambassador Juan Jose Bremer has scheduled a meeting next week to discuss the proposal with Reid, Naylor said. The ambassador was not available for comment today.

"The Mexican ambassador wants to meet with the senator on this issue, and the senator wants to be helpful," Naylor said. "That's where we are coming from on this issue. He's just trying to move the ball forward."

The consulate also could expedite visas for Mexican workers, help immigrants deal with the Immigration and Naturalization Service and promote Mexican businesses, as well as coordinate business expansion in both nations.

The issue has been a bit of a political football.

Members of the Nevada Hispanic Democratic Caucus in a press release earlier this month chided Porter for "embellishing his involvement" in promoting a consulate in an effort to win Hispanic voters. Porter is considered a leading Republican contender for Nevada's new third congressional district seat.

"People have been working on this for years," Porter said. "I just got involved because we were requested to by constituents. I have great respect for Sen. Reid. There's no doubt in my mind that the help of Sen. Reid could help expedite this He has a lot of clout."

Porter staffers had contacted the consul of the San Bernardino Mexican Consulate, who referred Porter to the Mexican Embassy in Washington. Porter wrote a letter of formal request to the embassy, urging officials to consider a Las Vegas site. Porter in the next two weeks plans to introduce a resolution in the Legislature supporting the proposal.

"With our growth and the strength of our community, we deserve to have a consulate," Porter said.