Friday, Sept. 10, 2004 | 9:09 a.m.
Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said Thursday that he didn't know about a downtown land deal that led to his son suing a woman to force her to sell the property to a company owned by the Mayor's son's partner.
"Ross (Goodman) is a very astute businessman and a good lawyer and he's on his own," the mayor said of his son. "My son is an adult. I'm going to keep supporting my son."
Mayor Goodman also said he did not know about an Aug. 6 letter sent by his son threatening to sue if the land sale did not proceed. The letterhead includes the mayor's name. The mayor said he didn't know his name -- which lists him as being "of counsel" to Goodman Law Group -- was on the letterhead.
He said he never discussed the deal with his son.
"All I do is talk about downtown. I tell people if they're smart they'll buy," the mayor said. "I guess my son is smarter than other people."
Louis Palazzo and Ross Goodman are suing to force 85-year-old Christine Von Sturm to sell her downtown land. They say Palco, a company that lists Palazzo as the sole officer on the secretary of state Web site, has a binding oral contract to purchase the land, which fronts Las Vegas Boulevard South.
The property, which now has vacant commercial buildings on it, is in a city redevelopment area and next to city-owned land.
The woman's daughter and lawyer say they believe Ross Goodman and Palazzo had been trying to take advantage of Von Sturm.
Neither Ross Goodman nor Palazzo returned telephone calls seeking comment on the issue.
Palco had offered Von Sturm $1.4 million for her property, which is between the city-owned land and a parcel owned by GP Properties Inc., a company in which Ross Goodman and Palazzo are officers, according to the secretary of state Web site.
In their complaint, filed Aug. 11, Ross Goodman and Palazzo claim that Palco entered into a contract to buy the land on April 30, and put down $30,000 in earnest money. The date for close of escrow was given as Aug. 9.
On or about May 21, their lawsuit contends, they spoke with the property owner, Von Sturm, who they say verbally agreed to extend the close of escrow until Jan. 12.
The daughter and the woman's lawyer said they also suspect that Palazzo and Ross Goodman have a plan to work with Las Vegas city officials to develop the land.
City Manager Doug Selby said that two companies have submitted proposals for use of the city-owned land.
He said the two companies were Cherry Development and the Related Group. Selby said that, to his knowledge, neither Palazzo nor Ross Goodman are involved with either company.
Redevelopment proposals sent to the city are evaluated by a proposal review committee. Mayor Goodman's chief of staff, Stephanie Boixo, who has been his point person on downtown development issues, was a member of the committee, but recused herself Aug. 18. Boixo reportedly is engaged to Eric Goodman, Ross' brother.
Boixo did not return a telephone call placed Thursday afternoon.
archive
