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By Dave Toplikar (contact) 
Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009 | 1:50 p.m.
A new Las Vegas City Hall just got a little closer to reality today, along with the city's efforts to revitalize the downtown.
The Las Vegas City Council voted today to begin construction on a new city hall building and parking garage downtown, in the area bounded by Lewis Avenue, Clark Avenue, Main Street and First Street. Construction is expected to take 24 to 26 months.
The project's price tag is $146.2 million and Mayor Oscar Goodman said initial work on the project, such as removing existing structures, would begin next month.
In today's action, the city approved the sale of certificates of participation in the bond market for a total of $185 million.
The vote on the bond sale passed on a 5-1 vote, with Councilman Steve Ross abstaining and Councilman Stavros Anthony voting no. Ross said he has been advised by the city's lawyers not to vote on projects involving the city hall because of his efforts to negotiate for union jobs on a new city hall project in his job as secretary-treasurer of the Southern Nevada Building and Construction Trades Council.
The project has been touted by the mayor and its other supporters as the starting point in the city's overall downtown redevelopment efforts — and as a way to bring jobs to the city in an ailing economic climate.
Those development efforts include more than $1 billion of projects in Symphony Park, at the nearby old post office building (which is being renovated for the Mob Museum) and a major redevelopment at the site of the existing city hall.
On Nov. 4, the city council approved an exclusive agreement with the Cordish Co. of Baltimore to look at the prospects of building an arena, a casino/hotel and an entertainment district on about 20 acres that includes the existing city hall.
Cordish is looking into the feasibility of building a casino/hotel on the 7.75 acres that is now the city hall and the Stewart Avenue Parking Garage.
What a stupid move. Atleast one council member was smart enough to vote NO. This comes at a horrible time when they are going to lay off city workers. Kind of make sense now. Lay off city workers and get a new city hall. What a bunch of crap this is.
Thousands of vacant buildings in Las Vegas, and they feel the need to build a new one. Way to go, fearless leaders!
Thank you harry Reid. Your three years running the U.S. Senate have really helped here in Nevada. Now you want to add heath fiasco costs and then raise the cost of energy. Your a failure harry. Just quit helping.
sorry, that post was for the home prices disaster.
If anyone who is opposed to the downtown Redevelopment plan is out of work, maybe they should join a Union. Every city in the United States should be using all the Federal money available to build SOMETHING, thus creating more jobs! Without new jobs, it will be impossible to avoid the continuing stagnation of the economy in the entire U.S.
Jobs, jobs, jobs. Get it? Buy LOCAL! Get that?
If you are opposed to creating new "Green" jobs, maybe you should join the Army. It's a great experience, if you live. I did. If not, shut up and go back to watching FOX, and Glenn "The Village Idiot" Beck!
But, don't get in the way!!!
Construction costs won't be this low for ever. I believe this was the right move.
Energy efficient savings and the need not to update the infrastructure of the old building will reflect in yearly budgets.
Everyone just sees the one #, not the long term operating costs. If you don't understand business management and operations that perhaps not commenting would be recommended.
Why is it that Councilman Stavros Anthony is the only person on City Council with any fiscal responsibility?
This project is grossly irresponsible in these times.
I want my tax money back!
Do our public servants not live on the same planet as the rest of us?
CRIMINAL -- with a plethora of vacant city commercial structures and more on the way, there is no need to construct additional buildings on the taxpayer's tab.
These politicians' are nothing but predatory thieves!
Voters' need to wake-up and clean house.
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I think that the City is doing the right thing. Real unemployment/underemployment is north of 15%. They are doing something that will create jobs early next year. Stavros Anthony's argument is hollow. The bonds dont require the first payments until 2013. Hopefully by then we will be on the road to recovery. When the private sector either can't or won't create jobs, then it is up to government to do so. This project won't cost a single public employee job. It will however potentially save some. Private sector jobs pay for government, not the other way around.
This is a great thing for Las Vegas. All you whiners need to piss off and go cry in your beer elsewhere.
Way to go Vegas City Council...this was much needed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let em have it. The New City Hall will be Goodman's Waterloo
History will prove this the catalyst of noticeable improvement downtown. Full execution will take a decade or more, but the result will make a difference. Who among the posters and readers would rather see government funds distributed as food stamps and relief when the chance exists to produce a lasting improvement with the same dollars? An ideal situation: NO, but an effort has to be made to save downtown unless you simply feel it is not worth saving.
ANOTHER example of colassal government waste of taxpayers money.
I didn't know oscar had the time to push so hard for this waste of money, as he's been so "busy" trying to get a pro NBA team here (and trying to waste even more taxpayers money to build them a stadium).
too bad he doesn't devote as much time and energy to trying to diversify our economy by attracting industry from out of state.
Hey all. Today (December 3) on "Face to Face with Jon Ralston" we are talking with Councilman Stavros Anthony and consultant Terry Murphy about the city hall project. The program airs at 5:30pm, 6:30pm, 8:00pm and 9:00pm on Las Vegas ONE, Cox Cable Channel 19.
I keep hearing people say that this will spur revitalization of downtown, but I fail to see how creating another empty building downtown and moving across the train tracks will do that.
Ever counted the empty buildings downtown? From my office, I can see at least seven large empty buildings, most of which are city or county. They are decrepit, and dirty, and, in some cases, dangerous-looking.
How does making another fifteen-story husk help downtown? I don't like stepping around homeless people on my way to work any more than Goodman does, but, unfortunately, I can't use public money to improve my work space.
Can't wait to see what the cost over-run is going to be.
Bonds? Wasn't that the word I heard when the monorail was developed before it's breakdowns?