Editorial: Design of 61 acres is a job for a pro

Monday, Nov. 4, 2002 | 8:33 a.m.

The city of Las Vegas wisely purchased 61 acres of prime real estate in 2000 and generated excitement with its vision of a grand development that would infuse downtown with new life. Ever since, however, the city has looked anything but wise. Reviewing bids for the design of the 61 acres, the City Council rejected one from a developer with expertise in building medical centers. It then assigned a sports stadium developer the job of designing the development, only to have Mayor Oscar Goodman rule out a sports stadium. What the city really needs for an anchor building, Goodman then proclaimed, is a medical center. He never could understand why the sports stadium developer kept coming back with designs featuring a sports stadium, and why a design for his beloved academic medical center never materialized.

Now Goodman has announced that he will personally take over the development. This is a big mistake. We hope that Goodman, someday, is able to take credit for a fine project, but he has proven that the hands-on work leading up to it is a job for professionals.