By John Katsilometes
Here we go again: Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman makes an appearance on the Strip as the de facto mayor of Clark County. To the mayor’s credit, he is reminding everyone participating in high-profile events – such as this morning’s topping-off celebration at the base of Tower 1 at Trump International – that he is not, in fact, mayor of the Strip.
But during today’s benchmark celebration, Trump didn’t appear to care. Clad powerfully in a dark blue suit and blazing pink tie, the famed developer and (at the moment) former prime-time TV centerpiece told the dozens of associates and media members that Goodman is, “One of the great mayors. There is nobody better.” That might be true, but as Goodman reminded during his moment at the mic, Trump International, “is not in the city, yet, but will be before I am through.”
Goodman and Trump then posed for photos and hoisted an American flag to the top of the tower (with Trump joking that it was he, not Dan Towbin, who invented flag controversies) and seem to have forged quite the mutual man crush.
Which makes one wonder, why was not the Clark County Commission represented? The board was invited, organizers said. The Strip is in unincorporated Clark County, of course, and the site of Trump International, which looms over the Strip at Spring Mountain Road, is in District E, which is represented by Chris Giunchigliani. Who, as noted, was not on hand to pose for photos or be lauded by The Donald. But as Goodman and Trump basked in the beautiful morning and each other’s presence, no one seemed to notice.
**
Moments from Trump-A-Palooza: a young guy in a tuxedo repeatedly wiped fingerprints off a decorative silver coffee pot. And the man who handles all of Trump’s landscaping in Los Angeles, Hank Amini, was brought in to provide the floral arrangements at the tables. AND, upon departure, all guests were given departing gifts of shoeshine kits and lemon-scented hand towels. The man just reeks of success.
**
It might be too early to spell the end of the Arts District, but plenty of the district’s inhabitants were shaken after Thursday night’s Clark County Planning Commission meeting. The board unanimously approved the plan for development at the 73-acre parcel west of Main Street, east of the railroad tracks that cut through downtown, north of Wyoming Avenue and south of Charleston Boulevard. The plan from Detroit-based developer Real Estate Interests Group was maddeningly vague (to be expected, as the proposal to the Planning Commission was a conceptual plan only), but did call for a gleaming and sprawling mixed-use development with at least one major casino, a 22,000-seat sports arena fit for an NBA or NHL team (and the REI Group claims to be plugged into those leagues) and even a locale to be reserved for a public art display. But the project slices into a two-block piece of the Arts District, and no matter what sort of buffer for (or nod to) the district is provided, that Strip-like proposal will change the face of that region forever, no question.
After two hours of discussion (most of those addressing the board were those who had businesses or lived in or near the Arts District who argued against the project, but there were dozens of supporters of Project Neon in attendance who did not speak) the board unanimously approved the plan. The next stop for Project Neon, as it is titled, is the City Council for a meeting that should turn spirited debate into an art form.
**
A power outage at Wynn Las Vegas on Monday night spiked the scheduled performance of “Spamalot,” and because “LeReve” was off on Monday there was no entertainment at the hotel. The outage has been blamed on work at neighboring Echelon.
**
The Plate Show: A Mercedes Benz E320 CDI at the Trump event boasted the plate HIRISES.
Fabulous Las Vegas appears daily (well, almost) at this Web site. John Katsilometes can be reached at 990-7720, 812-9812 or at [email protected]