Public Expresses Concerns Over Vegas Arena In Town Meeting

Public Concerns Over Arena On Vegas Strip Include Traffic, Impact On Quality Of Life

The Winchester (Nev.) Town Advisory Board Monday held the "first public discussion of a proposed sports arena on the north end" of the Las Vegas strip, at which Texas-based Int'l Development Management LLC President & CEO Chris Milam "presented the 200,000 square foot Silver State Arena," according to Dylan Scott of the LAS VEGAS SUN. Many members of the audience "expressed concerns about the area's ability to handle the traffic flux and other possible damages to their quality of life -- noise, pollution, etc." The board "ultimately continued the item, granting no recommendation for either approval or denial." Milam's presentation featured a 22,000-seat arena, "comparing it to the Olympic stadium in Beijing." The facility would cost $400M, and Milam said that his company would spend $100M in local labor and another $100M on local materials. He pledged that the project "could break ground in the fourth quarter of 2010 with the goal of opening" in October '12. Milam reiterated that "negotiations were under way to bring an NBA team to Las Vegas and added the potential for an NHL team as well." He said that UNLV "had also expressed interest in having its men's basketball team play there." Milam added that his company would pay 85% of the cost, and the other 15% "would be funneled through a redevelopment tax district, which would cap its revenue" at $125M (LAS VEGAS SUN, 7/27).