Editorial: A solid arena plan

Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007 | 7:24 a.m.

I t is exciting to hear Harrah's Entertainment's strong proposal to build a 2 2,000-seat arena east of the Strip that could host a major league basketball or hockey team, or both.

Harrah's, the largest casino company in the world, said Wednesday that it is partnering with Anschutz Entertainment Group , an international owner and operator of sports and entertainment venues, to build the arena.

The companies said they would break ground behind Bally's and Paris Las Vegas next year, with a projected completion date of 2010.

"There has never been a better time to create a world-class arena for Las Vegas," said Timothy Leiweke, AEG's president and chief executive. He said he was optimistic that either a basketball or hockey team - or both - would be playing in the arena when it opens. The arena also would be host to concerts and other events.

AEG knows what it is talking about. Its holdings include Los Angeles' Staples Center, as well as the Los Angeles Kings hockey team.

In announcing plans for the privately funded, state-of-the-art arena, Leiweke made a bold statement, addressing his partners and the people of Clark County: "I pledge today, we won't let you down."

Unlike all the similar pledges we have heard over the years, Leiweke's is believable, which is refreshing. Local politicians have recently been shooting off their mouths once again about an arena project but have not shown the ability to make it happen. That has been proven time and again as one proposal after another has fallen through.

This plan, however, is real. Taxpayers across the country have supported stadium and arena plans with public money, but not here. The difference is leadership. In other cities political leaders educate and persuade voters to support public projects. Here, we hear a lot from some political leaders, but when it comes time to actually lead they are AWOL. As a result, the private sector has to step up if these kinds of projects are to be done.

In Las Vegas the private sector is driven by the gaming industry, which sometimes finds itself cast as the community's whipping boy. The industry, however, doesn't get proper credit for all it provides, such as the contributions it has made to the arts. The bottom line is that when a project makes sense, such as this, the gaming industry makes it happen.

We look forward to the new arena.