Goodman calmer about team talks

Dan Kulin

Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2006 | 8:51 a.m.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said recently that he continues to receive calls from top-level sports owners inquiring about Las Vegas as a possible future home city. But it appears the excitement that once surrounded every hint of movement toward landing a team has officially worn off.

The most recent call, which the mayor said came within the last two weeks, was from a Major League Baseball team owner. Goodman would not say who it was, but did comment on his enthusiasm, or lack thereof.

"I didn't immediately go to Councilman (Lawrence) Weekly and say, 'Hey, guess who's coming?' I said, 'Guess who I heard from?" Goodman said.

Weekly also was mum on who the caller was.

"The word is out that Vegas is looking for something in the sports industry, and so we get calls expressing interest or wanting more information," Weekly said. "For me, I don't really get that excited about it anymore."

Both Goodman and Weekly said they want to be sure the city is not used as a pawn by a team seeking to leverage a better deal with another city.

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More credit card-taking parking meters are likely coming to Las Vegas.

Another 50 new parking meters that can take credit cards and call you just before the meter time expires are expected to be added around downtown Las Vegas and University Medical Center.

Fifteen of these meters, which look like mini-ATMs, were installed in September around the recently opened Regional Justice Center in downtown Las Vegas.

The additional meters are expected to fill in more blocks around the courthouse, as well as replace some existing meters around UMC, city spokesman Jace Radke said.

The City Council is scheduled to vote Wednesday to spend $221,425 to buy the 50 meters, plus another $26,520 for maintenance of the new and existing meters.

Each new meter can handle the parking business for 10 spaces. Customers use a numbered keypad to identify their space.

The new meters, made by the Australian company Reino Parking Systems, take coins, credit cards and can even be paid via cell phone if the customer has a special account with the company.

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The planned downtown Las Vegas Alzheimer's center is expected to officially get its land from the city this week in another significant, but expected, step for the facility.

The City Council is scheduled Wednesday to vote to turn over 1.9 acres at Grand Central Parkway and Bonneville Avenue to the Keep Memory Alive Foundation for the nominal price of $10.

The foundation will be allowed to use the land only for the planned Lou Ruvo Alzheimer's Institute.

The land is on the city's vacant 61 acres on the western edge of downtown.

The design of the building, by renowned architect Frank Gehry, is expected to be unveiled during a Feb. 11 fundraiser. Construction of the $50 million center is to begin in August.

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Work on redrawing the council wards is apparently under way, city sources said.

City planners will develop proposed new ward boundary lines in an attempt to balance the populations in each. A recent city report said the populations in the wards ranges from 80,801 in Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian's Ward 1 to 128,872 in Councilman Steve Ross' fast-growing Ward 6.

The planners also must be mindful to keep all of the council members in different wards.

Because 2006 is a nonelection year for the city, the council could approve a new ward map this year.

Dan Kulin can be reached at 259-8826 or at dan@lasvegassun.com.