Public might not see arena proposals until council votes
When it comes to selecting the best plan for a downtown arena, Mayor Oscar Goodman wants you to trust him.
The public won’t be allowed to see competing arena proposals before the Las Vegas City Council chooses a developer, according to the process laid out by City Manager Doug Selby this week.
Selby said a final decision on the process has not been made. But, he said, preventing public scrutiny of the proposals during negotiations would protect the best interests of taxpayers.
“We’re doing what we consider to be in the best interest of the city, to get the best proposals we can get,” Selby said. “If we start disclosing everything prior to the selection process, it could compromise the selection process.”
He also pointed to a history of being second-guessed about deals the city has made, particularly by reporters.
“If we weren’t second-guessed every time we do something, we might be more inclined to release them. But we’re criticized, unfairly, I think, because a reporter sees it differently than the elected body,” he said.
Barry Smith, executive director of the Nevada Press Association, said keeping information from the public until after the council votes makes the process “smell bad.”
“The nature of the public process is to be second-guessed,” Smith said. “You don’t create trust by closing the process. You create trust by opening the process.”
Goodman, who will sit on the committee that will make a recommendation to the City Council, said last week, “The public doesn’t need to worry. … Trust us.”
During his weekly news conference on Thursday, Goodman also committed to releasing the names of the major players behind the proposals after they were submitted.
After the news conference, though, his staff rushed up to tell him he might not be able to do so.
State law requires some bids to be kept from public view “until the bid is recommended for the award of a contract.”
Smith said he believed it was reasonable for the proposals to be released after the committee met and made their recommendation, but before the City Council voted.
Last April, the city sent out a request for proposals to build a downtown arena capable of replacing the Thomas & Mack Center and also possibly hosting a future NBA or NHL team.
The city has gotten seven letters from groups expressing an intention of submitting a proposal.
Some of those groups have deep financial backing, have been involved in other arena construction projects and have associations with major league sports.
The arena selection committee, formed by Selby, will meet and interview representatives from the companies on July 12 and July 13.
Committee members are:
• Goodman
• Tina Kunzer-Murphy, executive director of the Las Vegas Bowl
• Rossi Ralenkotter, president of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
• Pat Shalmy, president of Nevada Power
• Senior U.S. District Judge Lloyd George
• Clark County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly.
The committee’s recommendation will likely be forwarded for a vote by the City Council on July 18, Selby said.
He said city officials still haven’t determined if the preferred developer, or its plan, will be revealed before the council meeting.
“This is the first time we’re going through this,” he said.
The selection of a preferred developer would lead to further negotiations with that developer, and future votes by the City Council to approve any incentive plans.
By then, Selby said, there would be full disclosure and ample opportunity for public input.
