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By Dave Toplikar (contact) 
Thursday, July 22, 2010 | 1:57 p.m.
Oscar Goodman
Sun archives
- 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)
Mayor Oscar Goodman says the only way that a new sports arena is going to be built in Las Vegas is through public financing, even though many people don't like the idea.
But without an arena, the city will never get an NBA or NHL team, Goodman said.
And without a modern arena, the city will have trouble keeping events here that prop up the economy between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, such as the National Finals Rodeo, Goodman told reporters at his weekly press conference at City Hall.
Last year, its 10 nights of competition recorded 174,000 in attendance, including an estimated 35,000 out-of-towners, delivering an economic boost of $50 million during an otherwise slow time of the year.
"There are no free lunches," the mayor said, when told it was difficult to find much support for public financing. "With that kind of attitude, that kind of philosophy, we'll never have an arena. End of story.”
"We'll never have a professional team here, end of story. I mean, that's it. We can't make up our own rules. We have to live in the real world. And the real world says that there has to be some kind of public financing," he said. "And if people don't like it, then they can live here without a team. I don't want to live in a city without a team. I think a team makes a city a great city. "
Goodman, who supports building an arena in the downtown's Symphony Park area, said public financing through a bond initiative on the ballot would make the project happen.
Two years ago, Goodman said he met with NBA Commissioner David Stern about getting an NBA team here, Goodman said. Stern told him that UNLV's Thomas & Mack arena was antiquated compared to the newer arenas.
"Las Vegas was always at the cutting edge, always at the forefront," Goodman said. "We were the example-setters. Now we drag our feet."
Goodman said he would try to drum up public support for a bond issue as soon as the city's downtown developer, the Cordish Company, and city redevelopment staff agree on a price tag.
"We go back and forth," he said. "Once we find out what we need, I would like to have a ballot question and let the public decide whether they want to be a world class city or they want to go to Los Angeles."
Goodman said if it was put on the city's ballot, only city residents would vote on it. But if it was a county ballot question, all Clark County voters would decide, he said.
"We're fighting hotel interests," he said. "And they make a very compelling argument. They don't want public money spent on an arena when they have their arenas and they didn't ask for public assistance and why should we put them at an undo competitive advantage."
Goodman didn't have a dollar figure on how far apart city staff and Cordish are on the public/private financing cost of an arena.
"Far," he said.
The county commission looked at several competing sites in April that ranged in cost from $448 million to $750 million. Goodman has said the city should consider a high-end arena to compete for national event.
The high-end, high-tech Cowboy Stadium in Dallas, which has a capacity for 110,000 people, was built for $1.5 billion.
Goodman said to pay for the public bonds issued for such a project, the city could create a tourist improvement district. A certain amount of the sales tax that would be generated in such a district would be used to retire the bonds, he said.
"It would have to be based on a formula of tourists," he said. "I think that's a good way to do it, myself. But once again, that's public financing."
Asked if the city and the county have ever or would ever work together to get an arena, Goodman said little has been done.
He said when the Clark County Commission heard presentations earlier this year on four locations presented for an arena, Bill Arent, the city's director of development, and a Cordish representative made a presentation about the city's hope to get a downtown arena. But it was "very brief," Goodman said.
"For the most part, we never work together," Goodman said. "That's why I want consolidation."
Good we don't want the NBA
This is another losing proposition from Oscar Goodman. He already has Las Vegas on the hook for The Mob Museum and a new City Hall.
"I would like to have a ballot question and let the public decide whether they want to be a world class city or they want to go to Los Angeles."
You're absolutely right, Mr. Mayor. Why should people refuse to fund an adequate health care system, the top tier of medical research and science, that would benefit all Las Vegans...wait, he's talking about what?
Goodman you loser, stop spending money we dont have... Put down the Gin bottle, we need to feed families first, why don't you start working on imagration first. God we need someone new in office
I like our Mayor, but right now is not the time to be asking the public for money to give the profits to someone else. We've been the Entertainment Capital of the World without a pro sports team. Also, when a person says never, like the
mayor said, take that with a grain of salt. So we never ever ever get a team if we don't do it now. Sounds like car salesman saying the price is good right now only, the realtor telling you nows the time to buy etc. If it's such a money maker why don't the fat cats do it themselves? We the people put up the money and if it is a flop we get stuck. Thanks but no thanks. Try again in a year or two and well reconsider.
My only point is that if it's such a great deal for the city and the people than surely they can arrange private individuals to fund it..these new stadiums are NEVER a financial windfall for the residents of the city. With all the private money squandered on crap real estate projects, let them invest in a so called guarantee of a new arena....they can reap the profits from the stadium and the rest of the city can reap the rewards from al the visitors...win win..more taxes to subsidize Oscar in the skybox entertaining his friends...no thanks.
No NBA? Works for me.
Agree - We do need an arena, if not for NBA, then for NFL, NHL, etc...
It brings in TONS of jobs, MONEY, and people.
Everyone that complains about it is an idiot that doesn't want to see this city mature and should move to Laughlin or somewhere old.
"There are no free lunches," the mayor said, when told it was difficult to find much support for public financing. "With that kind of attitude, that kind of philosophy, we'll never have an arena. End of story."
That works for me too! Now shut up Oscar, the Red Nosed Mayor, and have another drink.
No NBA, we got a dose of that when the All Star Game was here.
In fact, we don't need any sport team whatsover. If anyone feels the need to increase taxes, then spend the money on the rotten Clark County School District and have them stop hiring pedophiles and teachers who can barely punch their way out of a paper bag.
Without public funding, The homeless will have to live under a bridge!
Let the sports teams pay for an arena if they want to be based here.
I pay enough taxes.
Do you think we could get the tax payers to build me my own private hospital? Just for me. It's the same thing.
.
Public funding needed.
Let's see, highest unemployment in the nation - and GROWING! Economic conditions hurting the cyclical tourist business. Almost dead last when it comes to education in the U.S.
But I guess the priority is making sure we get a professional sports team.
Of course if we can get a team and build what Mr. Goodman calls "a high-end arena." Who's paying for those season ticket prices???
Glad to see that Nevada city officials and politicians are more worried about what we need for tourists and visitors. So what happens when all of the residents no longer want to live in Nevada? Who are you going to get to work at this arena? The tourists!!! Maybe a hotel/air/work package deal.
Idiots.
New arena brings construction jobs.
New arena brings hundreds if not thousands of jobs after completion.
Plus all the people that spend money there will spend more in Nevada.
It's a win win, and yes, it does cost money, as does everything else.
This will not happen anytime soon until the economy drastically picks up, and the people in Las Vegas are just extremely stingy for a project like this.
Oklahoma city has an NBA team, Columbus has an NHL team, Green Bay has an NFL team, Milwaukee has a MLB team, and Salt Lake has a MLS team. But not Las Vegas...nothing.
@ sevenhills: Probably 4k construction jobs (over a couple years to build), and maybe 7k jobs afterwards to keep running is my guess. People don't understand that you gotta pay money to raise money sometimes. This is the stingy I am talking about with Las Vegans. It's always "me, me, me." But they can't see through the smoke.
@sevenhills,
Youve tried 5 times to do a short sale and everytime you got turned down. Do you still believe when a realator tells you a short sale is the way to go. It's not that we don't want an arena, we don't want to get taxed. Stop believing in almost everything you hear. Look at governments record with our tax dollars. You want to give them more control?
Build-It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He basically said the city needs to privatize the profits for the rich and socialize the expenses to you the not so rich.
@sevenhills
I agree with everything you said but reality is support for a non-essential with all of the state-wide problems we have now just isn't going to fly. I have no problem with raising taxes because that is how we pay for our public services but this isn't a public service. It's a pipedream.
I would like to see an actual proposal which outlines the entire proposed tax increases but even before that I want to see a commitment from a pro team. Which we may never get.
The NBA attracts the wrong kind of people. They are mostly riff raff and we already have enough riff raff.
@sofa
I doubt it will take 7,000 jobs to run a stadium. Maybe 2000 or 3000 union construction jobs paying 30+ dollars an hour holding a stop sighn getting a fat pension too. They will run out of money, need more, then tax more. Also, there is only so much cash tourist are going to spend. Get us a real number of people the arena will employ instead of making it up.
Even in good economic times it would be a tough sell to ask for public funding of an arena without an explicit guarantee that a NBA or NHL team would be located here.
Goodman should have gotten developers to build and pay for this when the boom was on, I can't help but think that for a fraction of the money wasted on Echelon, Founatainbleu, etc,, a high end arena could have been built.
The mayor is 100% accurate. That is how it's done nowadays. Thee are no other possibilities. We did it in Oklahoma City and it has been the smartest investment we've ever made. You cannot imagine how much it has elevated the image of our city. Elevated civic pride in a city that was pretty solid before.
To those who say the NBA draws the wrong crowd, all I can say is that just isn't true. It draws the higest end crowd in the city's history on a regular basis. It takes money to go to these games and the people with it, spend it to go. It draws a more well off crowd than Oklahoma Sooners football, top to bottom, and that is a good crowd in any market.
The time is now, Las Vegas. Go for it!
The long term jobs created by a stadium will not be in the thousands even if it was occupied every day. Do you really think the rodeo goers want to go to Dallas. Dallas is not exactly a resort town and lacks the destination amenities that Vegas provides. What kind of lawyer would Oscar if he didn't motivate with fear?
Casinokid said:
"He basically said the city needs to privatize the profits for the rich and socialize the expenses to you the not so rich."
Exactly. Exactly.
Does he want city, county or state residents to pay for this thing? Are people from North LV or Henderson or Boulder going to have to pay?
Neither the NBA nor the NHL even have major network coverage/contracts, what is the health of those leagues?
Forget it. They Built 2 Stadiums while I was in Seattle and all it did was hit me with the taxes and I have ZERO interest in sports. So why I am I paying for it?
Sure it brought some union jobs while under construction. After that not a hell of a lot of jobs or tax revenue.
I am so glad Seattle sent the Sonics to OK city. Good riddence.
JSin
Do NOT underestimate Dallas-Fort Worth. It may not be "classy" enough for the California transplants, but it is one of the top ten metropolitan areas in the United States. It has more billionaire residents than any other metropolitan area in the United States. It has plenty of stuff for every visitor to do. And, most importantly, the rodeo crowd thinks it is a better fit for them than Las Vegas. You'll never find that dismissive, "good riddance to the crude, no tipping cowboys" attitude in D/FW. And don't think for a minute they don't think that attitude is pervasive in Las Vegas, and the only reason they tolerate it is because they haven't had an alternative, UNTIL NOW!
Oscar Goodman said, "I don't want to live in a city without a team. I think a team makes a city a great city."
You know where the exits are, Oscar. Feel free. Personally, I think great people make a city great. So we don't have a major sports team - what difference does that make to ANYTHING? None. None at all. Stop assuming that having a team here is just automatically a good thing and look at what the numbers say.
The evidence isn't even in dispute anymore: bringing a major sports franchise to a city does not help it. All it really does (besides deplete public coffers) is shift around discretionary spending.
Another poster said, "It brings in TONS of jobs, MONEY, and people." That's just plain wrong - all studies on the subject show it. Once built, sports arenas survive on the backs of locals. They don't bring in a significant number of people from out of town, and the local money they collect is money that would already have been spent somewhere else. Local money goes to concessionaires at the arena instead of the movie theater, or the mall, or wherever else people currently spend their extra money. New money doesn't magically appear out of nowhere. But at the arena, that money goes to tickets and food priced for a 'captive audience', meaning less jobs per dollar spent. And of course some of the money concentrates in team owners and players who take it out of state because they don't actually live here. So in the end the team owners get a free ride to more profits, and we get a drain on local money.
If it's such a great thing, let the people who will make the money on it finance it, and leave us taxpayers out of it.
Oscar's comments are ridiculous. First off, Los Angeles already has 1 more NBA team than they need or want. Second, with so many billionaires and corporations owning teams, they are certainly capable of building their own arenas. The city gets none of the benefits, but has to foot all of the bill. Los Angeles already has the right idea with the NFL. They refuse to provide public money to build a stadium. Las Vegas and every other city should borrow that game plan. If a team is really financially viable in this town, someone will eventually come build an arena with their own money. If not, then it was never meant to be.
...Goodman is right ....you have too many hotel rooms and casinos your drowning in them...enough already...I come from Miami and it is a big sport town...I dont understand why it has taken Las Vegas this long to decide it really needs professional sports and a professional sport arena...
Implode the T & M center and build it there. The other location is in the crap part of town..Parking is in place and the T&M center needs an uplift anyways.
yesitsme - because old Las Vegans attitudes are to just sit back and do nothing expecting the tourist to pay for everything forever.
Excellent. If the business owners of whatever potential team that wanted to be here don't have enough confidence in their own financial success to pay for the building they use to make their hundreds of millions of dollars in, then why would the taxpayers want to do that for them? It is beyond time taxpayer stood up and say "enough."
We wouldn't even consider paying for a skyscraper so CitiGroup or some other big bank would move into it to make their money there, would we? Why would it even be put on the table for some other business - a private one, at that. Absolutely ridiculous.
Las Vegas, NV = 14.2% unemployment and rising; good for number one in the nation.
You self-righteous posters have any other bright ideas on how to remedy that?
I'll wait...
Exactly grayback, jobs aren't just going to appear out of thin air. You gotta build and bring something into the equation if you expect jobs to happen.
I am glad to see Mayor Goodman decides to use the same talking point as I am.
I may sound like a broken record, but as much as I love Vegas, it will be nothing more than Reno-three-times-over if there aren't any major sports teams here. And for the past several years, I have brought my leisure dollars to SoCal and Phoenix just to go to sporting events, and not a single dollar to any gaming establishment in Vegas.
And only God knows how many times I get asked how come Vegas doesn't have a team whenever I am at Staples Center, Dodger or Angel stadium, or anywhere else in San Diego and Phoenix. I just tell them that there is no consensus, they seem to be content with the sports books and PT's bar and grill, and they have UNLV tunnel vision.
So if a first-rate arena or stadium doesn't get built in Vegas, so be it. Since I am a free market guy, I hope that if Cowboys Stadium fits the needs of Boxing and the PBR, they should go there. If the 51's go to Tuscon, be my guest.
And should I decide to go to L.A. if the NFL returns, I will finally learn that living in an area which has a lower cost of living isn't always worth it.
Nevada's state motto applies here;
"We can't see the forest for the trees!!!"
Pat must be snoozin' down there in his "think tank".
He is quite an "authority" on the subject.
Educated healthy citizens make a great city and not a brand new arena. I would rather have my tax money spent on education and health care for the people of Las Vegas.
Why do people have to be so blind and close minded on subjects about money. You have to spend money to make money. I agree with bulding an arean as it would solidify us as a major market city and would bring in BILLIONS of revenue. As far as the people who state that why should tax payers spend money to build when the private sector and their millions should pay for it since it's so lucrative. There are only a handfull of billionares in the country. We're talking a lot of money. For the private sector to pay for this it would be the equivalent of someone saving $10,000 for their lifetime and then spending every dime of it on a new car. Yes they have a good bit of money however they can't give up their entire net worth, not smart economics. Besides the revenue it would bring in, it would add thousands of jobs in both the construction industry and arena workers. All of the above sounds like growth and economic recovery to me. The real question is, if the bill fails and no new arena for us, is that going to make you any money? Nope, just the possibility of being laid off from your job because our economy will continue to slide.
I really don't think , in the shape LV is in now need to be spending public money on this. Let the Millionaires like Maloof pay for it.
Who out there still thinks that CONSTRUCTION jobs are somehow equal to GROWTH? When the stadium is built what will those construction workers do?
And all of these comparisons of Vegas to LA or Phoenix are silly, the populations of the Metro areas of LA, Phoenix and Vegas are not even comparable.
I agree...don't build it. Keep the economy in the crapper so that the casinos are forced to keep the cost of reoom rentals down. My family does not want to witness any form of growth in this city so they can continue to visit and stay at 4/5 star hotels for dirt.
Any form of job creation is nothing but a veiled attempt to bring the economy back and should be quashed at every turn to ensure that we never return to a fiscally responsible city. Goodman, you should not encourage any growth - you are not helping the cause.
Oscar
Go ahead and do what you think you can do.. I am out of here, 10 years of laughing at you and the others (if they are out of jail) is enough.. Go get your NBA team, Go get your construction contracts everyone that works in a Casino knows the jobs are never coming back.. Also the next time you get the NBA AllStar Game I challenge you to work at a 7-11, serve a drink, deal a card, clean a room or better yet be a $12.00 security person. Good Luck 14% unemployment will be here for a long time..
After what happened before and after the NBA All-Star game, the way they talked us down in the press. HELL NO.
If Oscar likes it, I don't.
Don' t do it!!!!! Don' t do it!!!!!
I am Freakin' Out!!!!!! Don' t do it!!!!!!
Why is it that it is always lower taxes, less government except when it comes to corporate welfare?
An arena isn't going to lift LV's economy. LV is a tourist town and until the economy improves in the feeder towns the tourists come from to the point where they have enough money to blow on a trip to LV, Las Vegas will continue to suffer.
If it's such a good deal then it should be a breeze to raise private financing. There should be no need to hedge the bet with the taxpayers money. Don't forget that the monorail was supposed to be such a great deal and bring in lots of jobs and money. How has that worked out for the taxpayers? That's right, the taxpayers got screwed, as usual.
Goodman: "End of story." Right, then move on already.
Don't use public money to build this arena. Aren't there enough wealthy individuals in Las Vegas, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, George Maloof, etc. that can raise private capital through investors to fund and build such a project. What is wrong with this picture? Oscar, this town is suffering enough already to put such a project through using public money. Sad enough as it is to see so many Nevada residents leaving this state to get work elsewhere because there is a lack of job growth in the private sector.
Where are the priorities of our politicians? Just do a google search on publicly financed stadiums and you will come across a study done by the University of Dayton that says public financing is not necessary to build these facilities. Professional sports franchises and their owners are wealthy enough to build their own facilities. They are using tax payers money to ease the cost of construction only to reap larger profits for the franchise and their owners in a shorter period of time. This leaves many States, Counties and Cities stuck with a portion of the construction costs they won't ever fully recover.
Wake up people! For profit sport franchise owners are taking advantage of the taxpayers. The last two privately funded stadiums built, AT&T Park in San Francisco and Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles have done very well without public help. Just a thought.....
The problem with America is that instead of creating good-paying jobs, we are paying people based on what we think they're worth. We're taught that service workers only deserve a pittance. There's nothing wrong with being rich, but what's wrong with paying someone a reasonable wage? Why can't an usher make $30-40K a year? Why can't the NBA players and owners live on a couple million less a year? Over time, this will help communities more, and the teams. Stop paying everyone these terrible wages.
The flip side to this is that taxes should be increased, with more money going to hire more government employees. In a service economy, there will be a small amount of people getting rich, and the rest basically working for scraps. Tax the wealthy more to make up for the shortfall. Take away half of the worth or salary of the average worker, and take half away from a millionaire, and tell me who's going on the street? Stop sympathizing with these people!
You might also want to keep locals out of the casinos. It might improve the image of the area.
You just laid off city employees, reduced services to the citizens,
you won't raise property tax rates to stop the free fall in tax rates from falling 7% instead of 10%.
But you want to raise my taxes to pay for a new arena, really Mayor? Really City Council?
And then have only the City of Las Vegas residents pay the taxes to support the new "Goodman Shrine" arena, you have lost your mind for sure this time.
How many citizens of Las Vegas are aware that you and the City Council have spent over $21 million for exhibits in the new Mob Museum in the last 2 months.
June of 2011 can't come soon enough.
Time for a new Mayor and a new City Manager
We don't need no thug-ball in las vegas. Remember the "Allstar game" a few years ago' Keep the crime rate down and just say NO to the NBA.
We need an NBA team here! It would make Las Vegas so much better!
Cognastic;
Too bad 80 percent of the voting public disagreed with you last election. Sucks to be in the minority.
@Newman:
You'll need to be a little more specific on your assertion. What did "80 percent of the voting public" disagree with me about? Actually, I'm of the opinion you're just making stuff up. Where did you learn that, Fox?
I'm fine in my minority skin.
Sucks to be an idiot.
http://www.accessclarkcounty.com/electio...
http://www.accessclarkcounty.com/depts/e...
Oscar spoke about legalizing prostitutes on british TV this would finance the project, as he claimed there were 10,000 girls working vegas, tax them at 10% and you you easily collect tax of 500 million $ per year from them
With all these sports franchises that keep moving to other cities.....
Why can't they just MOVE THE BALL instead ?
Also, what people don't realize about Las Vegas obtaining a sports franchise is it won't work on having a consistant winning team based on what Las Vegas is all about :
The home team and visiting players will just wanna go to the clubs and party...
They will be mainly hung over people or have lack of sleep due to the lure of what Las Vegas offers.
Oscar is even thinking too small. He should build something like Cowboys Stadium. If you want the NFR to stay in Vegas, make a huge Stadium for it. Then the UFL would have a decent home, and we wouldn't have to rely on the NFL. The PCL is ok, but you have to make a place that can be indoors/outdoors depending on our desert climate. So games/events can change venues with any event. Make it an extention of the Las Vegas Convention Authority, that way hotel tax will pay for the whole thing.
I've just purchased tickets ($400 for 3 games, damn good seats) to see the Dodgers play the Mets this weekend in L.A.
Yeah thats right, instead of blowing $400 at a casino or a mundane sports bar, I'll actually be driving four hours to get to L.A. and take in the environment of Dodger Stadium because there isn't any comparable type of experience in Vegas, and no, the 51's don't cut it.
Now think of the $400 I've spent on Dodger tickets alone - that could have been tip money for the valet, bartender, dealer, or a waitress. The $400 could also be a bar tab, restraunt check, show tickets, and whatever I buy at the shops in a strip resort, or dare I say to accomodate this board's psyche, a strip club and/or liquor store.
Catch my drift? Personal gratification and self-importance that Vegas caters to could only go so far and every now and again I feel the need to be a part of something. And that is what big league spectator sports does for a lot of people, myself included. Personally, I don't know what to look forward to if I didn't like sports. I guess some people like a few posters on this board are meant to be miserable.
Just the fact that I don't have to drive for four hours to the Staples Center for an NBA or NHL game is enough of a reason for me to see a Vegas arena come to fruition, however it is done.
To say that it is Vegas' loss if no arena or stadium is built is an understatement. What I'd like to know is what does the public fund micromanagers have to gain from it other than sharing of misery. I wish I can pull out my taxpayer card and say that the CCSD should be privatized.
If the want funding go to Wall Street not tax payers.
Wall Street has all the money not tax payers.
If the people of Las Vegas had any sense at all they would make Oscar Goodman Dictator for Life! If he was a little smarter he would retire. Fortunately for Vegas (to be named North Amboy by reading comments here) Mr. Goodman is still fighting for your best interest.
I really liked the comment from another web-site. "Let the profits from the Monorail and Neonopolis pay for it." What a great idea!
Goodman said: I don't want to live in a city without a team.
Maybe its time for you to go, Oscar.
Or, get some of your buddies and you build the arena... If its such a money maker.
Or, let the profits from the Monorail and Neonopolis pay for it.
Didn't you back these two boondoggles, Oscar?
<To keep the NFR? Those hicks don't spend much here anyway. They road trip in their huge motorhomes, sleep at WalMart parking lots, eat fast food and play penny slots at Sam's town. Let the NFR and their fans go to Dallas, we don't want those penny pinchers here.>
Goes to show you know squat about these NFR folks. And YES they DO SPEND MONEY, LOTS OF IT! And guess what? They actually stay in the hotels, eat at the hotels, drink at the hotels, gamble at the hotels.
Best damn fun times ever in Vegas when the rodeo is in town!!
<I agree with bulding an arean as it would solidify us as a major market city and would bring in BILLIONS of revenue>
No offense here but it obvious those of you who never lived in a city with pro sports teams know what you are talking about. '
A Vegas team will NOT bring in billions of revenue!!! If you believe that it will, you're dreaming. If it even brought in millions, it will be on the back of the taxpayers.
Having a pro sports teams does not guarantee it will be a draw for the tourists. It is VEGAS. People come to Vegas to GAMBLE, EAT, DRINK and act like total fools, NOT to see a pro sports team. Sure, you may get some tourists but to totally depend on it is ludicrous. And again - I don't think there is enough of a fan base in Vegas for the locals to support a pro team.
It's never going to happen. As someone said, put a referendum on the ballot, let the people vote on it:
1. Would you support the building of a pro sports arena dependant on public monies, ie your tax dollars?
or
2. Would you support the building of a pro sports arena dependant on PRIVATE funds?
Cut all salaries by 50% at the fire departments and use that to fund the arena. It would only take a few years to pay the total cost.
;=)
Cognastics;
Thank you for your lack of knowledge and useless facts. Gave us a good laugh.
But you were correct on my inaccurate facts - it was 83 percent of voters from 2007 that you will have to convince...look it up. Or are you too busy flinging the racial card to have time to support your ignorance and bias? Typical.
http://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/elections_...
So they build an arean. What do we get?
A regular influx of rif-raff from LA to start riots, fights, and destroy property after the game. Look at history!
Granted, we get construction jobs for the duration of the building. That's about it.
Hundreds & Thousands of jobs afterwards? Be reasonable. What there will be are maybe a hundred PART TIME, NO BENEFIT, MINIMUM WAGE jobs selling OVERPRICED souvenirs, drinks and food.
And what if the team does not come? Look at the history of the dome in St. Petersburg FL. If you build it, they will come. For MANY years, all they had was the areas largest weekend fleamarket venue. It cost the city millions to keep it going. When the team finally came, all of a sudden, the state of the art arena needed new sky boxes, a new electronics system, etc, etc, etc. MORE MONEY from the taxpayers.
KEEP IT.
All Oscar wants is a photo op with a giant pair of scissors cuttting a ribbon with showgirls on his arms. That and a bottle of gin.
Sober up Mr Mayor. We don't want it, we don't need it.
If it's such a sure thing, let the developers find the money from private investors.
How about the having the city sell it's interest in Symphony Park and invest that public money into one of the other projects?
Oscar said: I don't want to live in a city without a team.
Give it a rest... Whats in in for you Mayor???
You don't promote anything unless theirs something it it for you.
I love the idea of using my money to build a stadium for a multimillionaire franchise owner. And I look forward greatly to being held hostage every three or four years when the owner wants to operate rent free and threatens to move the team if he doesn't get his wishes. And then in 10 years when the owner wants a new stadium and demands public funding to build it I will again be happy to pitch in some more cash. Look at what just happened to Indianapolis with the Pacers. Despite being under contract through 2019, the team threatened to leave and forced the city to give up some serious cash... in a building that was built for the team and in which the team operates rent-free. The owners makes millions off his team, and Las Vegas gets a couple thousand additional minimum wage/service industry jobs... the construction jobs will be a benefit, but a temporary one that doesn't, in my opinion, outweigh the long-term costs. There are some ancillary benefits for businesses around stadiums in some cities, but those are usually dedicated bar/restaurant districts. I know that I won't go early or stay late to hang out at a casino as part of my big league experience. It's nothing like the scene behind Wrigley...
Goodman wants this for his legacy, not because the city really needs it. That's really what this is about. This is something the public should have the opportunity to vote on. If the majority wants to get hosed around by some jackass sports owner, then great. Otherwise, don't jam this crap down the city's throat.
Do not use taxpayer $ to fund a sports arena or any other private enterprise. The first just shifts entertainment $ from one pocket to another and, as numerous sudies have shown, adds nothing to the economy. The second is unfair to businessmen & women who put their own money at risk by creating competitors who have an unfair advantage. If a project is worthwhile and economically viable, let private investors gamble with their money, not yours and mine.
I'm not seeing any kind of business plan at all. Where is the guarantee of an NBA team if we build an arena? What else can the arena be used for? Who decides? What happens to existing arenas and their costs? What are the maintenance costs? Do we charge tourists a tax to pay for it and drive even more of them away? Do we pay for it ourselves? What is the payback period? Is an arena the best use of public money? We are an entertainment economy. Do we diversify with more entertainment? How does an arena compare to a building a world-class cancer center with public funding? Did Oscar include traffic and road construction in his costs? I doubt it. How can a city this size have a mayor who wants something but can't present a case for it? We've got to quit shooting from the hip and come up with real plans where we understand the pros and cons and costs and revenues. I think wanting or not wanting an nba team is just another example of the oversimplification that gets us in trouble. And, for the record, I'm not against investing money (being taxed) to make money. I could rant and rave about how it's funny that many people don't want to pay a dollar of tax money for something but they will let their property value fall by tens of thousands of dollars because they wouldn't spend a few hundred. Leadership shouldn't be that hard. I digress...
What is the demand for a NBA or NHL team? Even if there is a new sports arena will there be enough attendance to support a team? UNLV has basketball, is every game sold out? Las Vegas has a hockey team, is every game sold out? Look at Seattle, they tried to work with the owner of the Sonics and renovated the Key Arena and the team still went to Oklahoma City.
Also, look at the Monorail, another idea advanced by Oscar. Near bankruptcy, nobody uses it and eventually the taxpayers will be on the hook for the bonds.
P.S. The only way to improve the image of Oklahoma City is to move it out of Oklahoma!
When the KingDome in Seattle was imploded, the taxpayers were still on the hook for a $50 million mortgage. The new stadium in Seattle is nice, Only $30 to park!
The biggest sports venue in Las Vegas is the L.V. speedway. It was built with private funds, wasn't it? Not sure if public funds may have paid for road improvements in the area, but the track was a private investment.
The days of public funding for sports arenas is over. Just like my days of buying high priced tickets to events are over (for now) due to the lack of funds. Very rearely does a sports arena make money for a city.
Here in Bakersfield, the city manager pushed through an expensive arena (Similar in size to Orleans). Nice place, but a money loser for the city. 2 or 3 concerts a year fill it up, medium size crowds (3000 - 5000) for hockey, very small crowds for basketball (1000 or so). The local D-league team moved out to a new smaller facility that was built and paid for by the team owner. They're not asking for public funds. They're doing fine, and in control of their own facility.
Las Vegas is Las Vegas, It doesn't need an NBA team to get me to come to town. Even if they build it, they'll start threatening to leave in 10-15 years if they don't get ANOTHER new arena built. (Sacramento, Seattle, Dallas, Phoenix......).
If we didn't have a museum dedicated to the Mob life, (stooped idea), there would be millions of dollars availed for a brand-spanking-new multi-use arena for the city. Our City planners aren't planning our city's future very well. I'm sure an arena would employ many more people and on a much more stable basis then something most people would just visit once, or jeebus forbid twice.
Goodman is a clown and a legend in his own mind! You in Vegas deserve this delusional clown!
I don't want an NBA team in Las Vegas, because every time our team would win an important game there would be rioting, just as there is in other cities. That alone is enough for me NOT to want a team in Vegas.
Well, if you feel that strongly about it, wait until you are out of office and Vegas is back on its feet, then make the suggestion again.
After the scum that was in town for the NBA All Star game, I really dont think that Vegas needs an NBA team.
Let badman pay err goodman pay for it. Hes got oodles of mob money left from his days representing them..
only a true idiot would be pushing PUBLIC funding for a PRIVATE enterprise.
vegas couldn't make a pro team happen in the boom years, so there is NO WAY it could support one in the bust years.
the NFR pays the salaries for the thomas and mack for the Whole year, yeah let's get rid of that
I would support an arena if a percentage of the revenue or sales tax went to education or other City-County tax payer funded services, determined by the voters.