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Sunday, July 15, 2012 | 2 a.m.
What do you think?
Send us a letter c/o Letters to the Editor, Las Vegas Sun, 2360 Corporate Circle, Third Floor, Henderson, NV 89074. Or send a letter via email: letters@lasvegassun.com.There are four proposals in the works for major sports venues in the Las Vegas Valley, and for long-time residents, this may induce a sense of deja vu — or a visceral reaction.
Las Vegans have been down this road once or twice or ... who knows how many times.
You might remember the plans for a spring training facility or the big-league baseball parks. Yes, that’s been mentioned a few times. Maybe you’ll recall the planned basketball arena. Which one? Good question. We lost count some years ago at the various proposals for downtown, the Strip and elsewhere.
There have been so many of these plans, and despite the number of them, there hasn’t been one brought to completion. That’s partly because most of them have been wrapped around luring a major-league sports team here, whether baseball, basketball or hockey. None have come, although they have used Las Vegas to leverage better deals elsewhere.
Now, there are more proposals on the drawing boards, which the Sun examines today. Their fate will be decided in the months to come when they meet the reality of financing, the killer of many a stadium proposal. It isn’t easy to get the numbers to work out, particularly when it comes to finding public financing, which is now a prerequisite for stadiums.
Of the current proposals, there is one that stands out: the stadium at UNLV. That’s not to say that the others aren’t worthy of consideration. The plans will compete on their own merits, and it’s possible that the stadium could be built as well as one of the three arenas.
But the UNLV proposal is worth supporting now — it has the ability to be a great benefit to the university, the community and the region.
Under the plan, the university would build a 55,000-seat domed stadium near the Thomas & Mack Center. That’s good for the university in several ways. UNLV’s football team would finally move to campus, which would boost recruiting and attendance. The Rebels’ home, Sam Boyd Stadium, is on the edge of town, a healthy ride from UNLV. That hasn’t helped the program.
As well, the new stadium would raise the university’s profile. It would give UNLV the potential to gain entry into a major college conference, and that would bring another set of benefits.
The stadium is part of the UNLV Now plan, which also calls for an entertainment district with shops and restaurants and student and faculty housing.
That would be a great boost for the campus, and it could also provide a great economic benefit for the community. Although the Las Vegas Valley has five operating sports venues, it doesn’t have a facility for “mega events,” such as concerts and athletic contests that attract more than 20,000 people. With UNLV’s proximity to the Strip, the stadium would be in the right place, and it could increase tourism by opening the door to new events Las Vegas currently can’t handle.
One of the interesting things about the UNLV proposal is that it isn’t dependent on luring a major-league sporting team here. In fact, some project supporters have said that the lack of a major-league team could be a benefit. Las Vegas could become a spectacularly fun and neutral place to host college and professional games, including conference championships, bowls and all-star games, bringing yet more tourism and attention to the region.
There is still work to be done on this proposal, and UNLV officials are expected to bring a final plan to the university regents late this year.
Although the final details are still being worked out, this is encouraging. The community should support this as it moves forward. The stadium would elevate the sports program, distinguish the campus and boost the Southern Nevada economy. What’s not to like?
The bottom line: It simply makes sense.
That site is close to the so-called "fruit loop" I wonder what the gay community has to say about the stadium.
http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=fru...
Also, does it make sense to have a Stadium off the end of a major airport runway?
If UNLV wants a stadium. They should build it, but NOT with taxpayer money.
If Ceasars was an arena, they too should build it, but NOT with taxpayer money.
That build it and they will come nonsense; is just that nonsense!
Home builders and developers did that and look what happened; they did not come; they left.
UNLV is the only worthy concept. Limited vehicular access dooms the donwtown location. Jan Jones as the face of Caesars Entertainment putrefies the project's tax funding. And the Chinese element of the Henderson project puts it in last place.
kepi ....a bond isn't the same as taxes paying for a stadium. A bond is public sponsored debt, and in the end, the bond repayment, when in paid in full, actually benefits the taxpayers of the state.
The tax break that the UNLV project would receive is simply a redirection of the taxes that may not even be there, and certainly not to the extent of the taxes that will be created by this project. The sales taxes that this project would help generate, would be used to help finance the project and pay the bonds down....the "taxes" used to help this (the taxes not being received by the state of Nevada that were previously) would amount to the taxes that T&M generates now...that's hardly saying that taxes are paying for the project.
The Sun blows off most of the relevant issues. It does not address financing; traffic parking; and the various assumptions regarding revenues. Shops, entertainment districts, etc. This is just cookie cutter developer talk--show me the money--show me your money developers instead goofy financing-leasing packages. This is just blabber about buying into a ridiculous column/article with the hype from the UNVL president.
LV gets once chance at this and it should think long and hard about. This paper would do well to get on board this process by demanding real numbers and level with the folks about the true costs. $2 billion is a number kicked around--that's $1,000 for each man woman and child in Clark County.
Every year, UNLV Basketball just barely makes the Tourney.........then chokes, the football team is abysmal year after year, and a new pretty stadium will cure these ills.......I don't think so. We have more than enough arenas in town associated with the major strip properties, but we STILL need another one. If the UNLV proposal flies, will be a coup for UNLV and another tax burden on the people. I have no problem paying additional taxes to right our economy, but not for a frivolous expense like a stadium. Now if UNLV comes up with the whole $$$, then is a different story.
The Privately Funded UNLV stadium makes the most sense. I know there will be some Bonds and Taxing Waivers, However there is NOTHING there to Tax now - so this is a Non Issue. I do Think Las Vegas also needs the standard 18 - 20 Thousand Seat arena for the NBA or NHL and that should be built near the Smith Center. The Arena in Washington DC has parking for about 200 Cards, HOWEVER they do have a very viable Subway system stop right underneath the Arena. Las Vegas still has No Comprehensive Plan for moving thousands of Visitors From the Airport to UNLV to the STRIP and on to Downtown. Another example of the incompetence of our local politicians that allow
Developers to Run Wild.
Build it without tax money
developing a stadium at UNLV is the ONLY plan that makes any sense. How would people get to a stadium downtown without clogging the roads even further. Parking? Where would it be? Don't see any kind of benefit or success in the other stadiums being proposed. Even the UNLV stadium with its private funding, tax considerations and all of the other benefits doesn't make sense if you can't field a team that at least wins 50% of their games.