Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
Stumble
By Dave Toplikar (contact) 
Thursday, Sept. 16, 2010 | 4:03 p.m.
Oscar Goodman
Sun Coverage
- Goodman pleased about Obama’s Las Vegas comments (2-19-2010)
- Goodman hoping Obama will call today to apologize (2-18-2010)
- Goodman: Obama needs to ‘straighten out’ what he said about Las Vega (2-17-2010)
- Should we be upset by Obama’s latest remarks on Las Vegas? (2-3-2010)
- Obama responds to Harry Reid criticism; Goodman upset over remark (2-2-2010)
Could another spat be in the works between President Obama and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman?
Goodman indicated today that Obama's past remarks about Las Vegas are continuing to keep some potential convention business away and he might talk to the president about it before he visits in October.
"I did have an interesting discussion when I spoke at the International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators," Goodman told reporters Thursday during his weekly news conference.
"They had about 500 people from all over the world come here for that particular convention," he said. "They indicated to me they thought they would have had 200 more but for the Obama statement."
The president made two statements that angered the mayor.
The first came on Feb. 9, 2009, at a town hall meeting in Elkhart, Ind., when Obama said executives of failing financial institutions should use federal bailout money responsibly and that "you can't go take a trip to Las Vegas or go down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayers' dime."
Obama later made amends, returning to Las Vegas in May 2009 and said some niceties about the city.
Then, almost a year later, on Feb. 2 this year, the president made a remark to a New Hampshire audience that "You don't blow a bunch of cash on Vegas when you're trying to save for college."
Because of that remark, Goodman boycotted the president's last trip to Las Vegas on Feb. 19. But Goodman said Obama made amends that day by telling the business leaders from the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, "Let me set the record straight: I love Las Vegas."
Goodman said that his discussion recently with the financial crimes investigators convention organizers showed him that the president's negative remarks from 2009 and this year were still having negative effects on Las Vegas.
"They felt these 200 people stayed away as the result of his position," Goodman said. "And that bothered me because I was hoping that that remark would no longer be hurting us. But apparently it's still out there."
Goodman said he would try to get the message to the president when he comes to Las Vegas on Oct. 22 for a major Democratic Party rally before the Nov. 2 midterm elections .
"You know, he's always very nice about us when he's here, talking to us. We know how good we are," Goodman said. "But I hope that he tells the rest of the world that this is a great place to have a serious meeting like a financial crimes meeting and to have a good time after the meeting's over. That's the message I really want him to convey."
Goodman said he doesn't have any plans yet to meet with the president in October.
"But I would like to get a commitment that he would at least do that. If he does that, I will embrace him," Goodman said. "Anything short of that is unacceptable."
Oscar, please, STFU. You are our lovable buffoon of a mayor, but this is just embarrassing.
Gee, Oscar a two year old misconstrued statement is still stuck in your craw !??!?!
Time is running out on your term as Mayor, best stay focused on getting that pro franchise before your time run out.
Oscar is just trying to get media attention. Good job, keep brining this up. Why not start talking about the mobsters you worked with back in the day? I'm sure that'll get lots of media attention too.
Grow up Oscar and Harry.
"You don't blow a bunch of cash on Vegas when you're trying to save for college."
Only Harry and Oscar could find something outrageous about what for every other adult is common sense. Really, the rest of the country doesn't have a problem with it and wonders why Harry and Oscar do.
I guess they would have preferred blow a bunch of cash in Vegas and then blow off college. This is the image they cultivate. Live with it.
Hey Oscar, Harry's calling you. He needs his toilet flushed.
Oscar, then why support Harry Reid?
Obama couldn't care less what Oscar Goodman thinks about him..
Obama cost Las Vegas many millions in convention business as well as tourist travel. Only a complete moron would believe otherwise.
i cannot believe this is still 'news'.
for god's sakes, AIG was raping the american public, spending OUR bail-out money on frivolous trips. it's
criminal what that company did to OUR economy.
but all that makes the media is the puffed up outrage.
where's the focus on the payback? who did or didn't and the pressure from the government & the public to force these companies to pay it back or give it up.
How about the violence going on there, or the out of touch business practices on the strip? When it seems like the whole place only caters to Paris Hilton types...I'm just saying.
Very telling of the Presidents lack of concern for others and his tunnel vision for his own agenda.
His narrow idea of what America should be like and his arrogant assumption that the people are ignorant hicks and the elite must tell us what to do is once more evident through his sophomoric and unsophisticated approach to governance.
Obamas more than evident inexperience combined with a narrow education viewed through the prism of socialism and identity politics leads him to these inevitable misjudgments and mistakes.
The only prevention for continuing damage to America and the only cure is to vote him and his progressive comrades out of office in 2010 and 2012 if we can't throw he and they out before then.
Hopefully the damage can be reversed and America will survive, but as of now, the end is in doubt.
Everything Obama does hurts all business, all people, everybody, everything in this country, except Dirty Harry Reid, Pelosi and their chronies....November can't come fast enough!
Mary Kay...
Stick to cosmetics, dear.
Oscar... Haven't you milked this one long enough??
He is just looking for someone to pay his bills. Drunk bum
I disagree.
Very few people really give a damn what Obama says.
He has given over 60 speeches, 2 of which before a joint session of Congress, on Obamacare and it did not sway public opinion one bit.
Almost every candidate that he comes out and campaigns for loses.
Ensign? Who's that? When is the last time he established national policy, gave the majority party an agenda, ordered the Feds to do or not do anything, ...
Ensign may need to go but he has NO clout. And unlike the Senate majority leader and the president, he hasn't the opportunity to hurt NV like they have done repeatedly. The Flim Flam man is in the White House, Bozo is the majority leader and the San Francisco Twit is the Speaker. That's who we have to worry about.
At least Gibbons is gone though. Maybe him and Ensign can walk around parking garages together.
Oscar is just trying to deflect blame because he's been such a terrible Mayor. There is nothing wrong with the President saying "You don't blow a bunch of cash on Vegas when you're trying to save for college."
Oscar and his stooges on the city council and the county board of supervisors just need to do a better job.
Wow,The International Assosoation of Finincial Crimes Investegators backed off.They been backing off of about everything they need to be investigating lately.Good,don't come here,go back to work.you forgot to do your prelemenary investigations,probably of your own selves.Who needs a convention,when it used to be conventional to prosecute finincial crimes when thousands of potential prosecutions are an obvious indictment to millions of us!Go home,come back when you can figure out what the American people have already figured out,then you can celebrate here when you really acomplish something!
@gbigs drags Harry Reid into this: "Reid and Obama are glued at the hip. Reid NEVER defended Vegas when Obama slammed it."
Well gbigs, you're WRONG AGAIN: "Reid released a statement this afternoon urging Obama to "lay off Las Vegas."
"I just spoke to the White House and told them that while the president is correct that people saving for college need to be fiscally responsible, the president needs to lay off Las Vegas and stop making it the poster child for where people shouldn't be spending their money," Reid said. "To truly reenergize our economy, we need people to travel to Las Vegas. I would much rather tourists and business travelers spend their money in Las Vegas than spend it overseas."" http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb...
You should take your own advice to jt2ou: "Try learning the facts before opening mouth and inserting whatever you have on your feet."
Oscar - If you really believe that then why are you supporting the disaster Harry Reid who is destroying this country ? Perhaps you need to re-think who you support and get on the band wagon for free market principles with Sharron Angle.
The disaster of Obama/Reid/Pelosi/Titus must be terminated.
Occar while Obama is here try to hit him up for some free stimulus money.
For the cost of education that many people cannot afford,I propose the slogan,come to Nevada and lay it on the line,can't afford Nevada education,throw your grant on the pass line,lose and your out of here,win and we may be able to afford your ass for awhile.What's the dif,biff.Bet on the u of n pass line!
If anyone was really taking to heart what President Obama said this town would be packed with tea party people and republicans just to spite him. But I still love Oscar, best promoter Vegas ever had.
Mayor Goodman, put down the martini glass and step away from the gin bottle.
I actually doubt what Obama said stopped anyone from coming to Vegas. Frankly if anyone believes that, they probably are a little low on the IQ scale.
Ia'm a MENSA,and he has prompted me to leave!
Ridiculous to even bring this up again--the mayor knows this, but free publicity is free publicity. gbigs, did you REALLY say, ". . .know the facts. . .?" That laugh made my night! To all of you who asked why Oscar endorsed Reid--wait for it. . .because he's NOT crazy, just a bit flamboyant, publicity hungry, and egotistical. Also not stupid.
well, mr. sbig mouth i don't care if the AIG convention was planned, had a huge penalty, if they lost their shirts on the deal.
you don't take bail out money and have a freakin party.
THEY shouldn't be spending our money that way.
selfish sob's in my book.
Try to stay out of the political left right stupidity,and what do I get,more stupidity.The mayor knowes this,but free publicity no matter how stupid is a positive for him.Glad that laugh made your night,now live with it for 4 more years.Flamboyant,publicty hungry, egotistical,also not stupid,wow stop me please,rush me down to the voters booth,when I barf on my marking pen,it might move it over to the left to him!
"And I seriously doubt the "Obama Statement" is still keeping people away."
Oh really? What planet do you live on? I can tell by your statement you don't live in Vegas nor are you involved in the hospitality industry in Las Vegas.
What is keeping people away from Las Vegas are the greedy hotel/casino corporate fleecers, hitting them with hidden fees, tightened slot machines, crappy Black Jack payout odds, expensive food and beverages, poor service.. need I go on?
wow. Oscar has completely lost his marbles. The only reason anyone even heard about this statement is because of the fuss Oscar raised. I'm pretty sure when people are choosing between Vegas and Orlando for a convention no one thinks to themselves "wait, two years ago at a town hall meeting in Indiana, the President said not to blow money in Vegas. Let's go to Orlando!"
By the way, Orlando's convention business is down the same amount (but Obama never mentioned them).
Oscar - get over it already!! I suppose you'll blame Obama for not getting a pro sports team, too.
Sheesh!! COnventions aren't being booked in Vegas because the Hotels are probably charging them way too much; whereas the conventions may be getting better deals some place else. And in this day and age - the bottom line is still important. You can't lay off 500 employees then go to Vegas for 5 days under the guise of a "convention".
<Goodman said he would try to get the message to the president when he comes to Las Vegas on Oct. 22 for a major Democratic Party rally before the Nov. 2 midterm elections>
LOLOL And Obama's first question to Oscar should be: "How is your campaign to get a pro sports team for Vegas coming?? That should help the convention and tourism business right?"
<Oh really? What planet do you live on? I can tell by your statement you don't live in Vegas nor are you involved in the hospitality industry in Las Vegas.>
No, benmerliss - what planet do YOU live on??? Read the papers, toots! Notice the very high unemployment rate in the country? Notice how many companies have laid off staff? Vegas is a frivolous destination right now for just about everyone, including companies and their conventions. Has NOTHING to do with what the president said so long ago.
It was an analogy, not an attack. Las Vegas is TOO popular a vacation and convention spot for someone who actually has the money to cross it off of his/her list as a vacation/convention spot. People who are dealing with tough economic issues will automatically suspend vacation plans to any location just as they will curb their spending for things like going to the movies or attending sporting events. Diversifying the economy will, over time, make the state less dependent upon tourism as its primary source of income. And besides, it was some of the bigwigs who invested in the tourism industry, and their friends in the banking and mortgage industries encouraged people to buy homes that they couldn't pay for it they lost their jobs or their hours were cut.
Las Vegas has lost ITS VALUE - plain and simple - beyond that the 'experience' and folks at the Casinos - most of the decent folks have left and those that have stayed are not HAPPY or fun to be around.
The President brought attention to Las Vegas - all press can be good press - after all you might think that all these tea party folks and republicans would rush here and spend money just to spite Obama - but they DON'T
The answer is simple - a bunch of Genius MBA types dreamed of the never ending hockey stick projections and built properties that can't support the room rates and when most of the conferences that we attend as a company are moving to other cities - IT IS THE PRICE and SERVICES that are beating LV to the punch.
Everybody can make money in a good economy - now that that has changed - the boneheads at the LVCVA and the good old boys who are becoming IRRELEVANT can't seem to adopt new marketing and PRICING - because there are few really bright folks in Las Vegas that get 'the new economy' and how to present value to consumers when they can't pay their bank notes. Sad situation.
Now when our mayor - can't understand why LV Vistors are not coming to Vegas - It isn't the President - It is the PRICES and PEOPLE - and I stress PEOPLE relate to EXPERIENCE most of the good folks have left or have had family lose jobs and moved away - The Casino's market LV as if customers are lemmings and will do anything - Las Vegas HAS to re-invent itself again - there are positive signs - but the FUN has certainly changed - and the prices/value has decreased.
Oscar should find ways to be more proactive in promoting the City internationally - and of course feeding his ego at the same time. He is the perfect representative for LV - drink in hand - colorful background - and a great personality.
Blaming folks - and the President for suggesting that people don't squander their savings in Vegas was probably good advice in an economy that no longer shows anybody that tomorrow may bring financial gains to replace that 'spent' cash.
If anything this was an opportunity to bring values forward to consumers with a message that said - "America and America Business - we understand that the economy has effected us all - here are some amazing deals to provide you with personal and business experiences with value and service that would even please the president"
Bring back the experience and value and people will come - and if your employees can't smile -retire them for somebody that will.
Let's show the president that Las Vegas IS a great place to visit for consumers and visitors - and let's try to find 'Smart' engaged new blood to help move the City forward.
Oscar, have a drink! Relax! I will have one with you and we will discuss all the great things Our President Obama has done and will continue to do for our country. He is not out to get you or Las Vegans, nor is he the reason we are in a bad economic state here in Nevada. Remember the economy is bad all over . . . unemployment is high, everywhere . . . life is hard right now, but President Obama is still great and we need to trust in his leadership! Cheers! Heidi
One of the Maloof brothers acknowledged on Larry King Live that during a fund raiser hosted @ his home, he made the The President aware how economically damaging were the faux pas that were characterized by His blustering exhortations.
Stop!! vilifying Mayor Goodman, The Best Mayor in the history of Las Vegas