Goodman meets with developers over downtown site

Dan Kulin

Friday, Nov. 1, 2002 | 9:40 a.m.

In the week since he said he wanted to take over efforts to find a developer for 61 acres of prime downtown real estate, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said he has met with at least eight prospective developers for the property.

The 61 acres, formerly Union Pacific Railroad yards are now under Goodman's supervision, the mayor said at his weekly news conference Thursday. He said he is acting with the blessing of the City Council. The mayor refused to identify the developers he has met with, but he said they are "very substantial developers ... real players with real interest (in the property)."

Goodman said he is optimistic the discussions will lead to a development that will include an academic medical center, arts center, and residential units on the property north of the Clark County Government Center.

An independent study said those uses would be more feasible than other uses suggested for the land, and Goodman said he has met with doctors to discuss a possible medical center on the property.

Last week, Goodman said he asked City Manager Doug Selby if the mayor's office could oversee the development of the 61 acres, which the city purchased in 2000. The city's Office of Business Development has a broader focus of working to attract businesses to various areas of town, he said.

Goodman's comments came after the failed efforts of developer Southwest Sports Group to put a minor league baseball stadium on the property. Goodman opposed using taxpayer funds to help develop such a project.

Developers that met with the mayor during the past week have not submitted detailed proposals for the property, he said.

Goodman would not say when a specific development proposal could come, or when such a proposal could go to the City Council.

Lesa Coder, director of the city's Office of Business Development, said she has sat in on the mayor's meetings with developers. Coder said no decision has been made as to what they city might give up to get development on the property.