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By Dave Toplikar (contact) 
Thursday, Aug. 12, 2010 | 12:49 p.m.
Oscar Goodman
Sun archives
- Mayor: Without public funding for arena, Las Vegas won't get NBA team (7-22-2010)
- Mayor skeptical about NBA ‘contract’ for proposed Strip arena (7-15-2010)
- NBA team ‘under contract’ if Las Vegas builds an arena (7-14-2010)
- Detroit Pistons moving to Las Vegas? Don't bet on it (7-15-2010)
- Mayor: Downtown Las Vegas sports arena ‘very viable’ (6-24-2010)
- Strip sports arena has very little support (6-10-2010)
- MGM Mirage opposes arena options seeking public financing (5-18-2010)
- County wants arena details, says public money unlikely (4-6-2010)
- Cowboys Stadium poses Texas-sized threat to Vegas (3-21-2010)
- Jerry Jones says Cowboys, NFL will lift boxing (3-9-2010)
- New arena plans promise jobs but seek public money (3-4-2010)
- Rodeo rustler? Tourism officials worry Dallas Cowboys owner could steal Vegas event (3-4-2010)
- City OKs plan to study downtown arena, entertainment district (11-4-2009)
- Cordish projects include sports-anchored developments (11-4-2009)
- Goodman: 20,000-seat downtown arena could lure NBA team (10-29-09)
Could a major league baseball team be looking over Las Vegas? Flashing a wily smile, Mayor Oscar Goodman wouldn't say, but hinted as much today.
At his weekly press conference, Goodman indicated talks are under way with developers who are interested "in other areas in other sports" that wouldn't interfere with plans for a professional basketball arena to be built on the existing City Hall property at Fourth Street and Stewart Avenue.
Asked which other professional sports, the mayor said, "Well, I think there are only two other sports. That's all I can tell you."
Then asked if Las Vegas residents could look forward to getting an NFL football team here, Goodman said, "I don't think football. So now we're down to one."
Goodman said he has already been having discussions about bringing a professional sports team here that isn't football or basketball.
"I've had two meetings so far. I'll have another meeting on Monday morning," he said.
The revelation came when Goodman was asked what's become a routine question at his weekly meetings with the media — what's the latest on his efforts to get a professional sports arena downtown?
"We're going round and round and round," Goodman said. "And I think that discussion is going to take place tomorrow between the city manager and some folks to find out whether it's realistic to expect that it's going to be built in the foreseeable future."
The city currently has an exclusive negotiating agreement with the Cordish Company, a Baltimore-based developer.
In November, Cordish entered a two-year contract with the city to look into the feasibility of building a sports arena, an entertainment district and a casino-hotel on about 20 acres split between two sites at Las Vegas Boulevard and Stewart Avenue.
Cordish is to look into building a casino/hotel on the 7.75 acres that is now the site of City Hall and the Stewart Avenue Parking Garage. A new city hall complex is currently under construction at the corner of First Street and Lewis Avenue.
On the site just east of the existing City Hall, the company will check into the feasibility of an arena with at least 18,000 seats and an entertainment district that would include retail shops, restaurants and bars.
The agreement calls for Cordish to determine the economic viability of an arena, including seeing if public financing is available. Cordish would look into recruiting an NBA or NHL team and an arena operator.
Goodman said when he went to Baltimore recently to meet with Cordish officials, he was under the impression that the city and Cordish were in agreement on some issues.
"Maybe my impression was a mis-impression," he said. "That's why the city manager will be following up with them."
Last month, Goodman said the city and Cordish have not yet agreed on a price tag for the arena, which he has said would need to be paid for in part with a public bond issue.
The mayor said that under contractual obligations the city has with Cordish, he can't begin discussions with any other developers about a sports arena on the 20 acres on and adjacent to city hall.
"I have had people express interest that they want to talk to me about it but they feel that they could build it," Goodman said. "But right now, we have to stand by our commitment, our contractual commitment."
Goodman wouldn't say what other specific area might be considered for an additional sports facility. However, he has indicated that he thought the 6.5 acres on Parcel P-Q on the north side of the publicly owned Symphony Park would be a good location for a sports arena.
This better not cost the Tax payers anything
Two season tickets please.
The only 2 teams I could think of that might relocate because of stadium issues are Oakland or Tampa Bay. There are no other teams that would consider a move.
Oakland most likely will move to San Jose
Oscar Goodman is still living in a fake dream world
We are bait. They will use us to get a better stadium or better deal elsewhere. That's what everyone does, from Rick Pitino to the Seattle Supersonics (aka Oklahoma City).
Eventually, we might get the NBA Sacramento Kings because of the Vegas connection, or a bad team like Kansas City or Pittsburgh, but increased revenue sharing makes even a bad team a money maker for its owners, so moves are less likely.
Ive said it before and I will say it again. NFL is the only sport that will work here. You only have to sell out 8 games a season.......
Out of state fans will travel to watch their team play here. You arent gonna get that with other sports......
The downfall...The NFL will NEVER allow a team in vegas.....
Screw you poolguy....where can I purchase those bonds?
Just be transparent when you can talk about it that other thing was a mess with the "I Have A Team already on board" then later it was just in negotiations.
And if it doest smell like privatizing profit while socializing expenses it could work for a lot of people especially if it's baseball lots of games.
Remember What Warren Buffet says don't invest your money in anything that you can't control the profits and the expenses.
Why don't we stick it to the tourists a little harder and build a stadium with room taxes? Or maybe a daily water-usage fee of $1.50 tacked onto the bill? Then the other people who want to support the team and buy bonds can do so, while the rest of us who couldn't care less don't subsidize either other people's entertainment or the owner's excessive profit.
And for those who want to talk about the jobs a pro team will bring to the city, the last thing Las Vegas needs is more service industry/ unskilled positions.
Also, there is no professional baseball team coming to Las Vegas. Bill777 has it correct.
Oscar's Fantasy
I do not want to spend one red cent for this. If the owners want to pay for it more power to them. If Oscar wants to spend his savings towards it, right on. Las Vegas has more pressing issues and taxing the public for someone else's profit should be banned outright in this country.
Comment removed by moderator. Language.
More promises of no taxpayer money:
(1) Monorail
(2) Neonopolis
(3) New City Hall
(4) New downtown stadium
(5) New nightclub/retail space on Fremont Street across from the El Cortez
Yea..sure..it's not costing us anything.
Ideas cost tax payers.
NOT WITH MY MONEY!!!
Wow... that really does feel good. Perhaps I've really missed the boat all these years trying to be an optomist. It's a lot easier to just say, "it'll never work, I just know it won't".
Keep tryin' Oscar... the rest of these folks would have us livin' in Tonopah!
One thing I love about Las Vegas...people here don't fall for these tax-payer funded stadium scams.
What's the point of any team moving here if the city is having so much trouble? It's just one more attraction for the upcoming Las Vegas Ruins tour...
The article mentions an NHL or NBA team - any consideration for a minor league baseball team?? You can gladly have the Pittsburgh Pirates!!
You know something, I adore you people that pull out the taxpayer card only when theres an arena proposal. It is as though you naysayers would rather see Vegas as nothing more than Reno three times over.
I only wish I knew where you people worked so I'll be certain not to do business with you. And nevermind any casino since I only go to the restaurants and shows at a particular casino establishment whenever I feel like doing so.
So just keep at it while I continue to patronize L.A. for sporting events, I've already made it a point to do so for the last few years.
It is doubtful Vegas will ever be a legit city without a Pro team.
Put me down for three season tickets, please.
I love this city. And the 51s just don't cut it.
Go get 'em, Oscar!
I'm sorry, but you could bring an NFL, NHL, MLB and NBA team to Las Vegas and it still wouldn't be a "legit city" right now.
Our education system is a joke. Our police department is a mess. Our infrastructure leaves plenty to be desired. Our politicians are inept. Our economy is based around a single industry. Without those being addressed, sports should be the least of our concerns.
I don't think a city needs professional sports to be legitimate. I would argue that Berkley, Calif., Madison, Wis., and Austin, Texas, are all legitimate cities, and they don't have professional sports. What do they have in common? A focus on education and culture. They also haven't spent millions of dollars to brand themselves in the national mind as nothing more than an adult playground where reality never intrudes.
Sorry, Rusty, but your elitist sensibilities of what make a "legitimate city" make you unsuitable for life in an egalitarian town. Use that big, cultured brain of yours and realize that Las Vegas isn't for you. Education is what you make of it and culture is relevant to location.
FRM
You forgot the $21 million recently for exhibits at the mob museum that wasn't going to cost us anything either.
All I want are my basic services back Oscar and not to lose any more.
Enough of these crazy dreams during tough times
Baseball ? It's more exciting to watch ice melt !!
Only be worth it if they sell off the cooked remains of the roasted players to pay for the stadium.
Or let me guess enclosed stadium with Air Conditioning. What a massive waste,
Like others have said, This had better not cost the tax payers.
JSin
Oscar has been great for this town but...this sports team/sports arena idea is horrible! We already have several venues that can handle this but dont. Why? It all comes down to money. It doesnt bring in enough of it. It also doesnt creat permanent jobs, only temporary jobs during the events. That is not a way to help our local economy. We will only end up supporting it with more taxes. But its hard to tax people with no jobs. Baseball would put us all to sleep...NBA would create more police/jailhouse jobs though!
Let's just all wait and see. For all we know, this could be a National Hot Dog Eating pro team.
i can see it now: the las vegas timberwolves.
<The article mentions an NHL or NBA team - any consideration for a minor league baseball team??>
Vegas already has the 51's Minor League team. But yes - the Pirates and the Cubs would make a great minor league addition!!
<It is doubtful Vegas will ever be a legit city without a Pro team>.
Vegas will be a legit city when the unemployment rate goes down to 7%. Get your priorities straight.
I think the working class is tired of increasing the profits of Corporate America at the expense of its standard of living. Isn't that what got us in our situation today? Witness the Wall Street bailouts. How did it help for their record bonuses and who is footing the bill for that debacle? That alone will impact our taxes for years to come and then they have the audacity to speak out against the federal deficit. They got theirs and now they want us to foot the bill.
Mayor Oscar is living in a fake gin induced world
JDubs and RPJ get it. Can't speak for the rest of you clowns though.