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Goodman meets with top executives from Florida Marlins

 

By J.M. KALIL

REVIEW-JOURNAL

Thursday, December 09, 2004

 

Top executives with the Florida Marlins, one of several professional baseball teams reported to be interested in a new home, flew to Las Vegas and met with Mayor Oscar Goodman in his office Wednesday.

 

"They called me and asked if they could see me," Goodman said of the 90-minute meeting with Marlins Vice Chairman Joel Mael, the team's No. 2 executive, and P.J. Loyello, vice president of communication and broadcasting for the Miami-based team.

 

Goodman was tight-lipped but reaffirmed his conviction that a major sports team will land in Las Vegas sooner rather than later. "This is going to happen," he said.

 

Officials with the Marlins were vague when asked for specifics of what was discussed.

 

"Las Vegas is very interested in getting a baseball team, the Marlins are in baseball and there was an open invitation from the mayor," said Bruce Rubin, a spokesman for Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria. "The meeting was a social, get-to-know-you sort of meeting."

 

Goodman acknowledged he has felt that teams used the city for negotiating leverage in the past.

 

"Oftentimes, people use me to get something else, but that was not the case today," he said Wednesday. "There was no discussion about relocation."

 

However, both parties hinted that Wednesday's meeting was the first in a series of anticipated talks.

 

"All the parties seemed to get along very well together," Rubin said. "Everyone seemed to like one another, and I certainly wouldn't be surprised if everyone remains in touch."

 

Goodman suggested he would see the Marlins officials again this weekend at the Major League Baseball winter meetings in California.

 

"I asked them if they were married, and if I should bring the showgirls along with me to Anaheim," the mayor said.

 

Rubin confirmed that he and the executives flew into Las Vegas on Tuesday night and were leaving Wednesday evening.

 

"The meeting with the mayor is the principal purpose for our trip," Rubin said.

 

Asked whether the Marlins are looking to leave Miami, Rubin said: "The Marlins are in discussions about building a stadium in Miami, and those discussions are taking much longer than anyone anticipated."

 

The Marlins, the Oakland Athletics, the Minnesota Twins and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays are reported to be looking for new homes. The Marlins long have lobbied government officials in Florida for a new stadium, suggesting the franchise is not viable there without it.

 

In September, Las Vegas lost out in a bid to lure the Montreal Expos when Major League Baseball officials relocated the struggling franchise to Washington, D.C. Goodman was encouraged by reports that Las Vegas finished second in the race.

 

The timing of Wednesday's meeting was ideal for Goodman because it also was the day Sports Illustrated published a lengthy story on Las Vegas' prospects of getting a professional baseball or basketball team.

 

The tone of the overwhelmingly positive article suggested it was a matter of when, not if, Las Vegas would land a major sports franchise.

 

The SI story stated, "You will be able to attend an NBA or major league baseball game in Las Vegas within a decade," and included other highlights:

 

• Nevada is the only state with legalized sports betting, but because the business is so tightly regulated, Las Vegas might be the safest place to have a team.

 

• MLB president and chief operating officer Bob Dupuy acknowledged gambling is a more accepted part of society and said, "Las Vegas is one of the most attractive markets in the U.S. for a pro sports franchise."

 

• The Oakland Athletics were cited as the prime candidate among teams considering a move to Las Vegas.

 

• The growing Las Vegas population, projected to be 3 million in 10 years by one source, and the city's 36 million annual tourists make the city a viable market.

 

"I think it's the kind of story that has the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas, but it also shows we're serious about being a major league sports town," Goodman said.

 

Goodman is forming a plan for a downtown stadium for the Las Vegas 51s, the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The retractable-roof stadium would be expandable to accommodate a major league team, Goodman said.

 

City Councilman Admin Brown and 51s president Don Logan are scheduled to leave today for the Major League Baseball winter meetings in Anaheim, Calif.

 

"The timing of that Sports Illustrated article, the fact that it comes on the heels of the Expos issue and before this week's meetings, I am certain Las Vegas will be a hot topic of conversation relative to getting a major league team," Logan said.

 

On Saturday, Goodman is scheduled to attend the meetings, where he will pitch the city to league officials and national media outlets.

 

"I'm looking for direction on how to approach these discussions that I know are going to be coming fast and furious," Goodman said. "I am very excited. I think the planets are lining up in my favor. I'll have a really good idea what to expect after I get back from California."

 

:plain

Not exactly what I like to read...Please get this stadium deal done.

:plain

630623[/snapback]

That pretty much says it all, but I have something to add:

:banghead

Said before, much to the annoyance of those herein, that I am prepared to root for the Las Vegas Marlins.

I have no confidence in the Miami stadium deal. It's going to get screwed-up with politics, cost-over-runs, etc. It will be a nightmare.

I bet Loria & Co. go for an emerging market like Las Vegas.

Bluff? :confused

I don't know how much I would read into this. All the teams are going out west for the Winter Meetings, and i'm sure that the Marlins are not the only team meeting with Las Vegas. Most likely this was a negotiating ploy to move things alog with Miami.

Let's get the stadium deal done dammit.

Anybody really think that MLB is going to let the Marlins just get up and leave a market like South Florida?

 

 

 

This stadium deal will get done. :mad :

The article also said that the A's are the top team to move to Vegas.

I don't know how much I would read into this. All the teams are going out west for the Winter Meetings, and i'm sure that the Marlins are not the only team meeting with Las Vegas. Most likely this was a negotiating ploy to move things alog with Miami.

630671[/snapback]

 

That's how I'm reading it...also I'm sure if there was just a 2 percent chance this stadium proposal will fold it would still be worth it on Loria's side to put himself in a situation where he can rebound successfully from that.

 

I wouldn't read too much into. Obviously, Miami is where Loria wants the Fish, it would take alot for a fall out, you can't blame Loria for being shrewd enough to make sure he can recover even if the probability of stadium not working is near zero.

I don't know how much I would read into this.? All the teams are going out west for the Winter Meetings, and i'm sure that the Marlins are not the only team meeting with Las Vegas.? Most likely this was a negotiating ploy to move things alog with Miami.

630671[/snapback]

 

That's how I'm reading it...also I'm sure if there was just a 2 percent chance this stadium proposal will fold it would still be worth it on Loria's side to put himself in a situation where he can rebound successfully from that.

 

I wouldn't read too much into. Obviously, Miami is where Loria wants the Fish, it would take alot for a fall out, you can't blame Loria for being shrewd enough to make sure he can recover even if the probability of stadium not working is near zero.

630710[/snapback]

 

 

Exactly what I was thinking. You always gotta have a Plan B especially when millions of dollars are at stake.

good.

 

move.

 

 

 

if south florida wont support the team maybe las vegas will.

 

 

this franchise deserves better.

MLB won't let the Marlins move without changing owners. Let me remind you that most stadiums get done after the team got bid on by another city. We have never had that happen in Miami, but the Marlins are the only modern expansion team without a stadium built for them.

 

This is a bluff. The Dodgers wouldn't allow it. In fact, the Dodgers are unhappy with the Las Vegas facilities and are looking to trade AAA with AA Jacksonville.

Should I be concerned I found this on the Marlins website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v226/marlinfan/lasvegas.bmp

Facts and Questions on baseball in Las Vegas:

1) Oakland is eyeing it

2) Dodgers, Padres, Diamondbacks, and Giants will block out any NL team from moving in.

3) Their ballpark is falling apart according to the Dodgers.

4) The 51's may become a AA team because of the condition of the facility

5) Can Las Vegas pay for a new facility? They won't even fix Cashman!

6) Can Las Vegas' media market support a team?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v226/marlinfan/lasvegasstadium.bmp

 

 

:plain

These were talks done by the Marlins for MLB in regards to expansion. THERE WAS NO TALK OF RELOCATION OF ANY TEAM. This would be for the 2011 expansion MLB is rumored to be pondering to ask the Union for in 2007.

Talk is AL expanding in 2011 with Las Vegas, Portland, Charlotte, and Orlando in the early running.

"There was no discussions of them moving, but of Major League Baseball expanding and talking about what is the potential for Las Vegas," Ralenkotter said. "Since we were part of the discussion with the relocation of the Expos, they wanted to get more information on Las Vegas, its media market and as a tourist and convention destination."

 

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/.../517958095.html

Talk is AL expanding in 2011 with Las Vegas, Portland, Charlotte, and Orlando in the early running.

630774[/snapback]

 

 

Makes sense to me.

Since Marlins are non-partial in the expansion (in other words, they wouldn't be encroached on by the new teams) they get to investigate. The Dodgers helped investigate Miami.

Let me put this to you another way, once the deal to build the ballpark is signed by the team, the county, and the city....the Marlins can't even talk about moving. Got it?

No team is moving to Las Vegas. There aren't enough people there, and the county is damn-near broke. They can barely afford to run their school system, let alone drop $300 million on a ballpark.

Difference between Miami and Las Vegas:

 

Dade County has such good credit that it can get loans/bonds pretty easily.

Clark County has trouble staying out of State Financial Watch out in Nevada.

Talk is AL expanding in 2011 with Las Vegas, Portland, Charlotte, and Orlando in the early running.

630774[/snapback]

 

Orlando? What a joke. Miami and Tampa have more than shown they can't support a baseball team, and only barely support it even after a World Series championship... what makes anyone think Orlando will be any different?