Vegas Votes Against Arenas

Las Vegas officials nearly unanimously voted down three arena plans that would have required public funding during a Clark County commission meeting June 15.

Plans included a $750 million venue on a site off Sahara Avenue, a $600 million arena south of the Strip proposed by developer Gary Goett and the Arena Foundation’s $488 million venue on a property owned by Harrah’s Entertainment.

Commissioner Tom Collins, who emerged as the sole supporter of a new venue, said during the meeting the city’s current arenas are aging and a new facility is needed to grow Las Vegas as an entertainment hub, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
“I think when there’s an opportunity right now to ignite something, we should ignite it,” Collins said.

He proposed the addition of an advisory question on the November ballot to gauge public interest in a new arena, however commissioners rejected that idea as well.

A group led by Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver presented results from a study that found Las Vegas to be a strong market for an NBA team. However, the report also concluded that building a new venue may not be a sufficient draw for pro teams, the Review-Journal said, and questioned whether revenues from tax increases would cover construction costs.

A fourth downtown arena proposal by Cordish Cos. has yet to be rejected by commissioners although the plan is reportedly in the middle of a two-year feasibility study.