51s focus on Henderson site

Dan Kulin

Friday, Oct. 3, 2003 | 11:22 a.m.

The Las Vegas 51s have apparently narrowed their search for a new home in Henderson to a 111-acre triangular property north of the Galleria at Sunset mall next to U.S. 95.

The 51s are "concentrating on that piece" of land, Henderson City Manager Phil Speight confirmed Thursday. City staff, 51s officials and a representative for the property owner have been discussing the property's infrastructure needs -- water and sewer lines and roads, Speight said.

Team President and General Manager Don Logan said this morning that it is further along in negotiations on that property than others, but said exploratory discussions were continuing with owners of other properties.

"I think that's the best location," Logan said.

"The mall and the freeway are there, the infrastructure is there to do it quickly. I think this is the best place."

Highway access for a potential stadium site was important, Logan said. Speight said there are plans to add highway on- and off-ramps on that property, which is south of the Russell Road interchange. He was not sure when construction of the new interchange would begin.

After land is set aside for roads and power lines, there would be about 90 usable acres left, Speight said. The land was bought by the California firm Wirrulla Hayward LLC in April 2002 for $10.8 million, according to the Clark County assessor's office.

Michael Matkins, the firm's attorney in Los Angeles, said he knew Wirrulla Hayward purchased the property but wasn't sure of any new developments. He referred all questions to the firm's Las Vegas representative, Rohit Joshi, who did not return telephone messages left Thursday.

Logan said he has talked to the local representatives but not the property owner, who lives in India. He said he is hoping to speak to the owner soon to see if there is any interest in the project.

The 111 acres are across U.S. 95 from city-owned land, part of which was proposed for a baseball spring training complex in the late 1990s. Speight said Thursday there are no plans for the city-owned property.

Speight also said city officials have not been presented with any development plans for the 111 acres.

The 51s have not presented Henderson officials with any plans or how to pay for a new stadium, but Speight said typically teams wanting to build new stadiums ask cities for a loan.

Logan said it's too soon to know costs and premature to talk about whether and how much the city may be asked to contribute.

Sometime in the next few weeks, Speight said, he will meet with the mayor and City Council members to see what kind of support they may be willing to give the 51s.

Logan has said in the past that funding for a new stadium would take a public-private partnership. He has said a new stadium would work best if it were part of a larger development that included restaurants, bars and shopping.

In previous interviews, the city's elected leaders said they would be excited to land a professional sports team, however, some said it was unlikely the city would help pay for a new ballpark.

Mayor Jim Gibson has said, however, that tax breaks could be available.

Logan has said the 51s need to move out of the team's current home park, the 20-year-old Cashman Field in downtown Las Vegas, in order to keep the team's valued affiliation with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He hasn't spoken to the Dodgers about the new location yet, he said this morning, because he wants to speak to the property owners first.

Logan and Dodgers officials have said Cashman is inadequate because it lacks fan amenities such as suites and space for team officials and players, whose tight quarters have pushed their weight training into a hallway.

51s officials worked for more than a year to get backing for a new stadium in Las Vegas but were unsuccessful, so they turned their attention to Henderson, Logan said.

Logan has said he must be able to show significant progress toward a new stadium by the end of September in order to keep the Dodgers from moving elsewhere. A location and deal for a new stadium probably wouldn't have to be finalized by the end of September, Logan said at the time, but the possible location would likely have to be narrowed to one or two sites.

Dodgers officials referred questions for this story to the Director of Player Development Bill Bavasi, who did not return telephone messages Thursday.