Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is heading to N.Y. "later
this month to find out whether the city with legalized
gambling could have its own" pro sports teams, according to
Mike Zapler of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. Padres Owner
John Moores and Las Vegas officials will join Goodman on the
scheduled September 28 trip to meet NBA Commissioner David
Stern and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. Goodman, on the
effort to build an 18,000-seat downtown arena with Mirage
Resorts Chair Steve Wynn: "If Stern says thumbs down, that's
it" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 9/17). Goodman said that the
meeting with Stern and Bettman is "to make sure that
gambling is not an obstacle [to] Las Vegas' effort to
procure" a pro team. In an exclusive to THE DAILY, The
SportsBusiness Journal's Liz Mullen reports that Moores'
reps have "visited" the proposed Las Vegas arena site three
times in recent months. Goodman: "Mr. Moores is interested
in that piece of land and he says Las Vegas is a great spot
for an NBA team." Goodman added that a number of people
have contacted him with interest in the arena and team
ownership, but declined to comment on whether he has been
contacted by owners of existing NBA/NHL teams (THE DAILY).
