LOOKING IN ON: LAS VEGAS 51s

Saturday, May 19, 2007 | 6:52 a.m.

Las Vegas Stars' announced attendance in their inaugural season of 1983, when Clark County's population was 535,000

Las Vegas 51s' announced attendance in 2006, when Clark County's population was estimated at 1.9 million

During a news conference in late March at Cashman Field, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman vowed to revisit the issue of a new ballpark for the Las Vegas 51s as soon as the NBA's board of governors met to discuss Goodman's desire to land an NBA franchise.

"Just give me until April the 25th," Goodman told 51s President Don Logan, "and then I'll be able to sit down and have some serious discussions."

April 25 has come and gone and - save for a brief, informal conversation earlier this month between Goodman and Logan - the topic of a new stadium to replace 25-year-old Cashman Field has been pushed to the back burner. Again.

Logan said this week he is giving Goodman more time to make good on his word.

"We talked the other day and (I) said, 'Let's look at, when you get a chance, how do you see this team in five, 10, 15 years down the road,' " Logan said. "He said he wanted to think about it."

Although Goodman's priority remains bringing major-league sports to Las Vegas, he might be open to the idea of investing in the city's Triple-A baseball team, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary season, Logan said.

"I think (Goodman is) in a position now where he understands the nature of the beast," Logan said. "I know that he understands the facilities for major-league sports cost a ton of money and the team or teams will want all" of the revenue generated from the facility.

As Pacific Coast League President Branch Rickey pointed out during the same news conference in March, some of the major-league sports complexes being proposed are carrying price tags in excess of $500 million , while a state-of-the-art Triple-A baseball stadium could be built for $30 million to $40 million.

Team officials have lobbied for years for a stadium to replace Cashman Field, which is the fifth-oldest Triple-A park, because it lacks many amenities - for players and spectators - of modern facilities.

Good company

Longtime Las Vegas broadcaster and 51s official Bob Blum will have a pair of heavyweights presenting him next month for induction into the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame.

Blum said Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis and Oakland Athletics radio play-by-play announcer Ken Korach will be his presenters. Davis will make his remarks via videotape . Korach is to be in Las Vegas for the June 8 ceremony at the Orleans Arena.

Blum worked for the Raiders' radio network when Davis bought the team in 1963 and produced the 51s radio broadcasts (when they were known as the Stars). Korach served as the Stars' play-by-play announcer from 1989 to 1995.

The entire 1983 Las Vegas Stars team will be among the 2007 Hall of Fame inductees.