Rogers renews $25 million pledge to UNLV

Monday, Oct. 25, 2004 | 11:07 a.m.

Interim Chancellor Jim Rogers renewed his $25 million pledge to UNLV for the university's capital campaign this morning, tying his commitment to the "high probability" that the Nevada Legislature will cough up the remaining $9 million for Nevada State College's first liberal arts building.

The state college's success is vital to the success of both UNLV and UNR, Rogers said in his letter to UNLV Foundation officials, and the likelihood of it receiving funding allows the other universities the chance to become "major research universities as part of a statewide university, college and community college system."

"That system provides the broad structure within which the two universities can engage in world-changing projects of great significance," Rogers said in the memo.

Rogers, the millionaire owner of Sunbelt Communications Co., originally made the $25 million commitment in a March 3, 2003, letter, but pulled his pledge in August after expressing frustration with what he called the dysfunction of the system and the Board of Regents.

Last week Rogers announced a $2 million pledge to Nevada State College at Henderson, which he made contingent on the Nevada Legislature funding the additional money for the liberal arts building.

The Legislature had originally agreed to pay $13 million toward the $23 million building when it first approved the new college, with the condition that the remaining $10 million be raised privately.

Four years and four presidents later, only $1 million has been raised, and the Nevada Board of Regents has asked state lawmakers to fund the remaining $9 million.