Editorial: Progress on arts center

Friday, Aug. 27, 2004 | 4:18 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION

August 28 - 29, 2004

It's too early to say that Las Vegas is on the verge of getting a performing arts center. It is safe to say, however, that never before has so much progress been made in the planning for one. During his first year in office, in 2000, Mayor Oscar Goodman led the city's acquisition of 61 acres of vacant land downtown and from the start his vision for development there included a performing arts center. A major barrier in the past has been how to acquire land in a centrally located area. The city erased that barrier last year by setting aside 5 of the 61 acres specifically for a performing arts center.

Another barrier has been getting people to patiently work together on a single vision. That barrier, too, fell with the formation of the Las Vegas Performing Arts Center Foundation, which has been working steadily and cohesively. Its latest accomplishment is a 100-page report authored by a consulting firm. The report, produced after consultants talked with many Las Vegas residents and researched other performing arts centers, offers a plan for the center and a vision for how it should be used.

There's much left to be done, but we are impressed with what has been accomplished. Las Vegas is growing into a major metropolitan area and a performing arts center can no longer be viewed as an amenity. With our population heading toward 2 million, it's a necessity.