This is an archived version of a Field of Schemes article. Comments on this page are closed. To find the current version of the article with updated comments, click here.
November 05, 2009
Vegas arena undead
Only three months after its plan for a new downtown arena fell completely apart, Las Vegas is back at it again, signing an exclusive two-year deal with the Cordish Co. to "study the feasibility" of a new NBA/NHL facility, including public financing.
Cordish, according to the Las Vegas Sun, "specializes in revitalizing depressed urban centers by developing entertainment and mixed-use projects." In English, that means that it has never actually built an arena before, though it does have experience building sports-related development projects — if you count Kansas City's troubled Power and Light District and St. Louis' still-stalled Ballpark Village as "experience." Still, Mayor Oscar Goodman is willing to bet beer on them, so they must be good, right?
This will be music to Gary Bettman's ears. Something for potential new Coyotes owners to wave at Glendale while negotiating a new arena lease.
Posted by Greg on November 5, 2009 09:30 AM
Good gravy, "study the feasibility". Well, I can give them the feasibility of this being successful right now, and save 'em a lot of money: YES, if you build the thing and put an NBA team in there, chances are people will come to the games. THAT'S NOT THE BLEEDING ISSUE, especially in Vegas.
Posted by Tom on November 5, 2009 12:17 PM