Tie vote delays zoo proposal

Sito Negron

Thursday, March 4, 2004 | 9:54 a.m.

The proponents of building a zoo in Floyd Lamb Park gained time to convince some skeptical Las Vegas City Council members that their idea won't cost city taxpayers anything, but failed Wednesday in their bid for an agreement to negotiate the proposal.

With a rare 3-3 tie, the council deadlocked on the memorandum of understanding, which would have given representatives of Edward and Mona Sher exclusive negotiating rights with the city for two years. In exchange, the Shers have promised to spend up to $2 million developing a zoo plan.

"I don't see how we can go into this without spending money," Councilman Gary Reese said.

He said even if the zoo doesn't cost the city anything, to make the deal work the city would have to agree to take Floyd Lamb Park from the state. Maintenance and security for the park would cost the city hundreds of thousands of dollars, officials have said.

"So there should be no misunderstanding. It will cost us money," Reese said. He was joined in his no vote by Councilwoman Janet Moncrief and Councilman Lawrence Weekly.

After the motion failed because of the tie vote -- Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald was absent attending a League of Cities meeting -- Councilman Michael Mack, who first brought to idea to the city, asked his colleagues to postpone the matter for two weeks to give the Shers time to "communicate" with representatives.

That motion passed 4-2, with Weekly agreeing to the extension.

"Perhaps they (zoo proponents) didn't do a good job of explaining it to my colleagues," Mack said after the meeting.

Marvin Miller, who is representing the Shers, said he was floored by the initial denial of the agreement.

"I can't tell you I'm not disappointed," he said after the vote. The Shers, he said, "have the best interests of the city at heart, and they're willing to spend all this money. I am shocked by the attitude (of council)."

He said the Shers already have lined up heavy hitters -- including the vice president of the Los Angeles Olympics -- to advise them during the study period.

Miller said he thinks council just didn't understand the proposal, and he plans to spend the next couple of weeks talking to individual members.

He emphasized that the idea is meant for locals, not tourists, and said that the Shers, who he noted have six homes around the country, will build a zoo somewhere.

Miller also said that the Shers went first to Weekly, offering to build the project at Lorenzi Park.

Weekly said later Wednesday that he didn't think it was a "good fit" for the neighborhood. He also said he's keeping an open mind about the zoo proposal.

"If the funding is there and they can tell me how animals will be taken care of and what type of fiscal responsibility the city would have, sure, I'd be willing to listen," Weekly said.