Wednesday, May 3, 2006 | 7:40 a.m.
What has been described as the worst building in Las Vegas is coming down.
Alpine Court, a former doctor and dentist office complex near Decatur and Charleston boulevards, was abandoned by everyone but the homeless more than four years ago.
Since then, the building has been a frequent source of headaches for city officials.
The fire department has been called numerous times to deal with fires started by homeless people to keep warm or cook. One such fire killed a man in December.
City code enforcement officers also have been regular visitors, noting the deteriorating conditions and working to get the property fenced, fixed up or torn down.
City officials were preparing to ask the City Council for money to tear down the building under a new, tougher policy on vacant buildings and blight.
But that became unnecessary when the owner hired a company to tear it down.
A press conference last Wednesday to announce the creation of a task force to study the need for a new arena did not have confetti or showgirls, but managed to be entertaining nonetheless.
Clark County Commission Chairman Rory Reid and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman joked about the mayor's talking up gin to fourth graders, and bumped elbows battling for the microphone.
And county spokesman Eric Pappa mused that the coming look into the need for a new or significantly upgraded arena would be done quickly.
The task force could be in place and meeting within a month, and then report back to the elected leaders 90 days later. That means the planning for a new arena could be under way before fall.
"We're going to move at the speed of the private sector," Pappa said.
Although Goodman repeatedly said a new arena would not be built for an NBA or NHL team, he said it would be a prelude to the city landing a top franchise.
Many sports franchise relocation analysts and consultants have said that if Las Vegas had an NBA-ready arena now, the city probably would already have a team.
Goodman also said he continues receiving calls from a "rich person" who wants to build an NHL arena in Las Vegas.
Goodman said he has rebuffed the offer because the man wants the arena to be on the city's 61 acres on the western edge of downtown.
The mayor would not identify the wealthy hockey aficionado or specify whether other factors caused him to balk at the proposal.
But Goodman did say that he wants the 61 acres free for other uses.
Las Vegas Councilman Lawrence Weekly said the city will receive its $200,000 back if - or when - the Economic Opportunity Board sells enough assets to pay off its debt.
Any money left after paying off the $3 million in debt could go to the social programs that the organization once oversaw, he said.
Weekly, who also is chairman of the EOB board, said the agency is selling everything from vehicles to office equipment, but the biggest payoffs will likely come from the sale of the organization's radio station, KCEP 88.1-FM, and properties - assets that could net the EOB more than $10 million.
The EOB could be phased out of existence by the end of June, Weekly said.
Las Vegas Neighborhood Services Department Director Orlando Sanchez is expected to be promoted to deputy city manager today.
Sanchez, who began working for the city in August 1988 in the Department of Economic and Urban Development, has been in his current position for two years.
Assuming the City Council affirms Sanchez's promotion during today's council meeting, he will become the third deputy city manager.
The two current deputy city managers are Betsy Fretwell and Steve Houchens.
City Manager Doug Selby said a third deputy is needed to deal with the increasingly heavy workload of the growing city and its growing government.
Sanchez, whose current annual salary is $123,680, will earn $150,000 a year after the promotion.
A Las Vegas construction company has lost its court challenge of a contract to build a new city softball complex, allowing the city to move forward with the park.
APCO Construction had cried foul over competitor Roche Constructors' $19.1 million bid to build Las Vegas' 12-field Alexander Hualapai Softball Complex in northwest Las Vegas.
APCO, which had the second lowest bid at $20.5 million, complained that Roche's bid was incomplete because it included only the project's total cost - not the price of its various components - on its original submission. Roche submitted additional information to the city days later.
City officials argued that they had discretion to accept a bid with only the lump sum price, because in this case that was the only number required. But the dispute prompted City Council members to ask staff to develop a clearer bid process.
District Judge Valorie Vega, who had issued a restraining order two weeks ago after APCO challenged the contract, ruled in the city's favor Monday.
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