City officials, 51s to discuss move

Dan Kulin

Wednesday, July 23, 2003 | 11:04 a.m.

Officials for the Las Vegas 51s minor league baseball team are expected to meet with Henderson city officials on Monday to discuss the possibility of moving the team to Henderson.

Don Logan, 51s president and general manager, said the meeting is just part of a "long arduous process," but added that he thinks there needs to be significant progress toward a new stadium for the area by sometime in September to keep the 51s parent team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, from looking elsewhere.

"It would have to be something where I would be able to say a deal is imminent," Logan said.

Logan said funding for a new stadium would take a public-private partnership. But he said it was too early to say exactly where any public funds would come from and whether Henderson would need to help pay for a facility.

Logan also said that a new stadium would only work financially if it were part of a larger development that included restaurants, bars and shopping.

Henderson officials said they would be excited to land a professional sports team.

However, Mayor Jim Gibson, City Councilwoman Amanda Cyphers and City Manager Phil Speight said it is unlikely their city would help pay for a new baseball stadium. The city, they said, could help in other ways, such as identifying potential locations.

"Our public won't approve a police and fire bond, so a bond for a baseball stadium, I just don't see that happening," Cyphers said.

Speight said city officials will "only be a facilitator."

"This is not a situation where the city will put in money or give away land," Speight said.

Logan and Dodger officials have said they need a new stadium to replace the 20-year-old Cashman Field, which is short on space for players and team officials and lacks fan amenities such as suites and club seats. Team officials asked Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman to get behind a push for a new stadium for downtown Las Vegas, but the mayor rejected the idea.

"The implication has always been to lend our full faith and credit for bonding and to give them free land," Goodman said.

The mayor said he thinks Las Vegas is a major league city and he doesn't want to risk taxpayers' money on anything less than a major league team.

"I love the 51s. I love Don Logan. But I have to do what my heart tells me to do," Goodman said.

Goodman said he has offered to lobby the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to provide money to renovate Cashman Field. But Dodgers officials are insisting on a new ballpark, which Goodman said could cost $45 million.

Logan would not say how much a new stadium complex may cost, but he said renovations to Cashman would be more than $25 million. Logan said renovations are not an option because Dodgers officials want a new stadium for their AAA franchise.

"Keeping the Dodgers here is the key," Logan said.

If keeping the Dodgers' affiliation means the 51s leave Cashman, Logan and Goodman said the departure probably would have only a minimal impact on the area around Cashman.

"Unfortunately people drive to the stadium and drive home. It's a car destination, so there really isn't an economic impact," Goodman said.

Logan agreed, saying now fans leave the area around the stadium as soon as the games end.

LVCVA spokesman Rob Powers said it is hard to quantify the 51s' economic impact on the area because most of the people who go to the games are locals, not tourists staying in hotels.

Cashman Field, which is owned by the LVCVA, is near Las Vegas Boulevard North and Washington Avenue. The 51s' lease on the facility expires at the end of next year, and Logan said he would like to have the 51s in a new stadium in 2005.

Logan said he has had casual contact with officials from North Las Vegas, Clark County and Mesquite about the future of the 51s. But he said Henderson is the only jurisdiction he has had formal discussions with regarding a new stadium.

Goodman said he doesn't see the 51s' discussions with Henderson officials as an attempt to pressure him or other city officials to give in to their demands for a new stadium.

"They know me better than that," Goodman said. "It's prudent on their part to talk to Henderson."

Speight said he met with Logan twice about six months ago to discuss a possible move by the 51s to Henderson.

The Monday meeting is a follow-up to those, and the first time city staff will present the 51s with evaluations of potential stadium sites, he said.

"These are very preliminary discussions as far as we're concerned," Speight said.

Henderson city staff on Monday will present 51s officials with six or seven possible locations for a new baseball stadium, including city-owned land off U.S. 95 near Sunset Road that was the proposed site of a spring training complex in the 1990s, Speight said. He would not disclose where the other locations are because they are privately owned, and those property owners haven't been contacted yet, he said.

Council members interviewed Tuesday generally said they would be happy to see a professional sports team in Henderson.

"I certainly would be excited," Councilman Jack Clark said. Clark said he doesn't know yet whether he would support city funding for a ballpark.

Gibson said a new stadium could qualify for tax breaks if it were built in a designated city redevelopment area.

But the mayor said: "I don't think we're in a position to pay for a new stadium."

Councilman Andy Hafen declined comment, saying he was unaware of any talks with the 51s.

Councilman Steven Kirk did not return telephone messages seeking comment Tuesday.