Thursday, May 08, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Mercury

Editor's Note: Can't keep a Goodman down

Talking to Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is a little like getting a pep talk from a football coach. You leave the conversation with a smile on your face and an upbeat outlook, and only later do you start to question his spiel.

But let's not get all Jon Ralston on the mayor just yet. The Las Vegas Sun political columnist has made a living lately out of bashing Goodman as a huckster. Ralston's been so harsh, in fact, that some people say it's a personal vendetta.

Whatever. Not my fight. But the point is, when it comes to the mayor, it's important to realize that he sees his job much like that of a salesman. Calling himself the valley's "titular cheerleader," Goodman says, "We want to make sure everybody enjoys living here and appreciates our quality of life."

And that, Goodman says, is largely why he's ticked off at the local mainstream media right now. He says the mainstream media have a "negative mindset" about downtown redevelopment. "They don't want to see anything good happen downtown," he contends. "They sap our strength when they keep knocking us."

The problem with this attitude, Goodman says, is it's too insular. Look at cities across the country, he says, and you'll find deep-seated economic troubles that Las Vegas doesn't suffer from. "I've traveled around the country, going to mayoral conferences," he says. "I talk to mayors from all over. They're all in trouble. They're cutting their police forces and their fire services. We're increasing our police forces and fire services. We're vibrant and growing. Other cities are receding."

The mayor's popularity is unprecedented. He won re-election last month in a landslide, garnering a record 86 percent of the vote against an array of minor challengers. This, despite what has to be assessed as a modest record of achievement in his first four-year term.

From the start, Goodman made downtown redevelopment his priority, and while there are lots of things happening downtown, in part because of his infectious cheerleading, it's hard to point to a major redevelopment success story coming to fruition during those four years. Goodman's spin, however, is legitimate: "I planted the seeds during my first term and now I've got to grow them."

His second term, then, is when we find out whether Goodman will leave a lasting legacy in the mayor's office. The key, of course, is the 61-acre railroad property the city acquired a few years ago. During Goodman's first term the property was secured and a company was hired to develop it. But that plan fell through when the company and city leaders couldn't agree on what should be built on the site. Now a new plan is being developed, with the city taking a larger role in its implementation. Goodman's main goals for the site are a 25-acre academic medical center complex and a five-acre performing arts center. He's talking every week with people he believes can make those projects happen.

"The rest of it will be high-density residential," Goodman says, "and in the back of my bag of tricks, I'd not be surprised if we have an NBA team here by the end of my term."

That's the sort of ambitious conjecture that sounds great when Goodman tells it, but falls apart upon closer inspection. Goodman pursued a major pro franchise during his entire first term and came up empty-handed. To his credit, he convinced NBA boss David Stern to take a hard look at Las Vegas, but the dialogue ended when the casinos wouldn't agree to eliminate pro basketball betting. Can't blame them. Sports books are big business, have been for some time now and will be well into the future. Even if Goodman could lure an NBA team to Las Vegas, there's no guarantee it would last more than a year or two. Las Vegas has a wretched record of supporting pro sports franchises.

Goodman has been a positive force for downtown, but there's only so much he can do. The suburbs are far more attractive to bankers and developers. The beltway and master-planned communities are where the action is these days.

But that's not to say downtown redevelopment is doomed. Not by any means. Probably the most encouraging project coming down the pike is the Las Vegas Premium Outlets, the upscale outlet mall rising next to the Clark County Government Center and catty-corner from the city's 61-acre parcel. The Chelsea Property Group, which has built upscale outlet malls all over the country, confidently predicts 8 million shoppers a year at its 120 name-brand stores (and extensive food court). Tour buses are already scheduled to stop at the mall once it opens Aug. 1. In addition, the city plans to operate trolleys shuttling Fremont Streeters to the shopping mecca. It looks like a winner.

The city helped land the outlet mall by giving Chelsea lucrative tax breaks, a move that angered some pundits. Goodman does not apologize for the move. "It's a plus-plus for the city," he says, noting that the economic activity at the mall will more than make up for the lost property tax revenue. "If Chelsea's not successful, then I'm not the man I think I am."

The pressure on Goodman increases in his second term. He's planted the seeds. If they don't grow soon, history may not smile on the "happiest mayor in the world." But I wouldn't bet against him.

--GEOFF SCHUMACHER