Editorial: City right to keep vision on 61 acres

Friday, March 22, 2002 | 9:19 a.m.

Cooling-off periods are a good way to patch up souring relationships. Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman used that technique Wednesday in agreeing to delay until July a report on development plans for the 61 acres west of downtown. The report is being prepared by Southwest Sports Group, which won the right to exclusively propose plans for the area that has become pivotal in the city's redevelopment goals. The group was to have presented plans to the City Council early next month, but when Southwest expressed frustration with the process and accused the city of interfering with its vision, Goodman was right to postpone the report's deadline.

During this time, the city and Southwest will meet and discuss their differences. Southwest says the city will not leave it alone while the proposal is being developed. It says the city is acting more like a developer, pushing its own agenda which rules out a minor league baseball stadium and emphasizes a performing arts center and medical complex.

We support the cooling-off period but also support a strong presence by the City Council all through this project. This is city land and a project that will need public funds. The city has every right -- and every obligation -- to ensure that its own vision, not that of the developer, is predominant in the end.