Despite all indications pointing against a downtown Las Vegas stadium for the Oakland Raiders, mayor Carolyn Goodman continues to pitch the idea.
The search for a site for the proposed stadium revealed some competing agendas. Whereas the Raiders and their partners–Las Vegas Sands Corp. and Majestic Realty–made their preference of a site near the Strip known, Goodman and other city officials pushed the concept for the Cashman Center site. The case from Goodman and the city was that the location offered plenty of land, particularly if MiLB’s Las Vegas 51s obtain a new ballpark and vacate Cashman Field.
That land would allow for development around the stadium, which could be conveniently accessed from the freeway and downtown. The prospect of being able to fill a large site in downtown with development of that variety appealed to Goodman, but the project went in a different direction. By the time the list of competing sites was narrowed, the Cashman Center was listed as one of several secondary options, and was topped by five primary considerations.
Ultimately the Raiders found a site that matched their desire, as the project is now centered around a location north of Russell road near the Strip. Both the Raiders and Las Vegas Sands corp chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson are offering to finance a portion of the stadium as proposed and, even after Goodman’s recent presentation to the Raiders and their partners, are unlikely to change their preference to the Cashman site.
Goodman understands the reality of that situation, but still sees a downtown stadium as a way to bring development to downtown Las Vegas. More from the Las Vegas Review-Journal:
To that end, Goodman is tapping [governor Brian] Sandoval’s record as a proponent of economic development and offering an alternative that could take root if compromises are necessary in the financing of a stadium package.
Still, Goodman knows the downtown plan is a long-shot.
“I asked Mr. Adelson two years ago when the city was looking at stadium development about whether he would consider something downtown and he said no then,” she said.
There’s no indication that he has changed his mind, although the development team said they appreciated the presentation.
“In life, it’s all about timing,” Goodman said. “For the Raiders to be in a position to consider Las Vegas, it’s about timing. If we can’t get the funding proposal resolved in 2016, it dies for at least another year.
“I’d hate to see that happen.”
The Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee is set to consider the $1.9 billion stadium project this afternoon.
Rendering, which depicts the proposed stadium in downtown Las Vegas, courtesy of MANICA Architecture.
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