LVCVA board upholds contract for telecom services with Cox

The contract between Cox Nevada Telcom and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority remains in effect after Tuesday’s board of directors meeting, despite Chairman Tom Collins placing an item on the agenda suggesting he wanted to terminate the business agreement.

“I was really surprised Cox was selected,” Collins told the board Tuesday.

On Aug. 13, Smart City Networks was replaced by Cox as the main provider of telecommunication services for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. The new contract begins Sept. 29 and runs through Sept. 28, 2020.

Cox was recommended for the job by convention authority staff after a request-for-proposal process that lasted 18 months and included 13 employees who graded companies by relevant experience, pricing and revenue share, infrastructure management and customer service approach. Cox placed first, Smart City came in second and AT&T placed third in the process.

A 12-to-1 vote secured Cox the contract in August. Collins was the lone holdout.

During his agenda item on Tuesday, Collins questioned Cox’s representative, Sean Higgins, a shareholder from Gordon Silver, about whether or not Cox was going to uphold specific parts of its new contract.

Smart City representatives spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, suggesting that the RFP process resulted in a first place for their company, not Cox.

Rana Lacer, the authority’s senior vice president of finance, again explained the process to the public and reiterated that Cox came in first place.

“We have spent an extreme amount of time (validating Cox’s experience.) We’re comfortable with the decision that was made,” she told the board.

All of the board members remained completely silent while Collins conducted his interrogation. When there was a break in the short line of questioning, Henderson Mayor Andy Hafen broke in.

“Last month we had a serious discussion on this. I had all my questions answered,” he said.

He then moved to table the item permanently. It passed unanimously.

“The outcome was what it should have been, that’s the best way to put it. The board came to the right outcome,” Higgins said after the meeting.

Contact reporter Laura Carroll at lcarroll@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4588. Follow @lscvegas on Twitter.