Panel to pick downtown project

Diana Sahagun

Friday, March 9, 2001 | 10:40 a.m.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman has set no limits. A 2,220-foot tower, which would be the world's largest, is testament to the mayor's commitment to developing 61 acres of downtown land.

"I made a promise to myself that it would be be over my dead body that anything that goes in there isn't A-1, first class and makes everyone in Las Vegas proud," he said. "The only thing that will limit what will go on that piece of property is man's imagination."

There's a lot to think about.

On Thursday Goodman unveiled 10 proposals for the downtown land. These include, in addition to the tower, a professional medical complex, an indoor ski park and a baseball stadium.

During the next few weeks city staff members will review the proposals. In two weeks the city will fly four executives in from the Urban Land Institute in Washington, D.C., to help set judging criteria for the projects.

A review panel, which includes Goodman, City Councilmen Lawrence Weekly and Gary Reese, City Manager Virginia Valentine, Deputy City Manager Steve Houchens, Business Development Director Lesa Coder, and a member of the City Center Development Corp., will narrow the list to by April 6.

On April 18 the review panel is scheduled to submit its shortened list to the City Council. The council on May 2 is expected to make a final selection, which could wed elements from two or more proposals.

Architect Simon Kim of Tate-Snyder Architects has designed what could be the most incredible proposal -- the world's largest tower. At 2,200 feet, the tower would be more than 1,000 feet taller than the Stratosphere Tower. It would also be 700 feet taller than the world's tallest building in Shanghai, China.

Kim said the "Millennium Tower" would be made from steel and concrete and include lateral bracing, which would help the 200-story tower withstand high winds.

"For this proposal we looked at Las Vegas socially and globally as a growing city, with inhabitants not only from out of state but around the world," he said. "In the past 10 years Las Vegas has really become a destination spot for well-heeled socialites, and we thought we should design something that propels the city into that new image."

The bottom portion of the tower would feature a casino that would include entertainment, retail outlets and restaurants. Above these would be a hotel, luxury condominiums and, near the 70th floor, a park.

Kim said the firm, which designed the D-gates for McCarran International Airport, would work with the airport to ensure there would be no trouble in regard to airline flight paths.

William Keller, a planner for McCarran, said the Federal Aviation Administration mandates that any building more than 2,000 feet in height is determined to be a hazard to air navigation.

"Anything that reduces our capacity at McCarran is something we would be concerned about," said Keller, who added that he has not seen the proposal for the tower.