Goodman meets with private group

Dan Kulin

Monday, Dec. 20, 2004 | 9:16 a.m.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman expects to meet today with a private group interested in helping Las Vegas lure a Major League Baseball team.

The mayor refused to identify who he will be meeting with -- he said the group requested he not say who they are -- but he said they are outside experts who are not currently attached to any major league team.

Since the city council of Washington, D.C., changed the financing plan for a new stadium there last week, Goodman has fielded calls from three consultants he said want to be a part of bringing major league baseball to Las Vegas. Las Vegas is also preparing to put out a public call for proposals from consultants or groups to help guide the city through the process of developing a stadium-funding plan, and over the other hurdles facing the city as Goodman works to lure a team to the city.

Also, Goodman said he expects to speak with representatives from The Related Cos. this week, and their discussion will include talk about putting a stadium on the city-owned 61 acres the company hopes to develop.

One of three potential development scenarios drawn up by Related includes land for a stadium, Goodman has said. He said Related officials have not said they are interested in helping pay for or build a stadium.

Meanwhile, Deputy City Manager Steve Houchens will continue researching various funding plans for a new stadium, Goodman said.

The mayor said that Major League Baseball President Bob DuPuy told him on Wednesday that there would be no talk of relocating the former Montreal Expos to any other city until after Dec. 31.

The Expos were expected to move to Washington -- the team had been renamed the Nationals and game tickets and merchandise were being sold -- but then the District of Columbia council approved legislation requiring up to 50 percent private financing for a new stadium. Earlier, baseball and city leaders had agreed to a plan that called for no private funding for a stadium.

Dec. 31 is the deadline for Washington to have a financing plan in place for a new stadium there. On Thursday Goodman said baseball's precarious future in Washington means there is "just another opportunity we have to prepare for."