| Have you ever imagined what it would be like to | | | | Sports. Vegas is Switzerland with slot machines. The |
| attend a Monday Night Football game live in Las | | | | hometown loyalty is to the point spread and every |
| Vegas? What would the NBA or NHL playoff | | | | precious edge that she provides. People there are |
| experience bring to 'Sin City'? Or how about an | | | | fans of everyone and no one, with allegiance based |
| Opening Day MLB start in the desert?I can tell you | | | | on whoever provides the best opportunity for a |
| exactly what it would be like. The back of your | | | | payday. Sports fans in Las Vegas are mercenaries, |
| game ticket would be a scratch-off lottery game for | | | | bounty hunters and war profiteers. And it's unlikely |
| lap dances and convertibles. There would be brilliantly | | | | that their attitude will ever change.That is what |
| lit slot machines in the bathroom stalls. At halftime, an | | | | strikes Fear into the rulers of the major sports. They |
| opposing fan would be lowered into a cage and fed | | | | are afraid of point-shaving or players consorting with |
| to a pair of white Bengal tigers. The vendors would | | | | criminal elements. They are scared of anything that |
| be seven-foot mutants from Eastern Europe and the | | | | could be viewed as a conflict of interest and their |
| cheerleaders would be South American vixens. There | | | | hard-line stance against gambling is done in an effort |
| would be midgets and clowns and a giant money | | | | to preserve the integrity of the game. (That is, the |
| tree that one lucky fan would get to shake at each | | | | integrity remaining after sham officiating, |
| home game.It would be beautiful.Las Vegas and a | | | | performance enhancing drugs and uneven distribution |
| professional sports team are a natural fit. There are | | | | of wealth.)Needless to say, this stance by owners |
| few things as American as the cultish pride, | | | | and executives is the height of hypocrisy. Goodman |
| monetary excess and choreographed violence | | | | stated that the NFL's public actions and outward |
| involved in pro athletics in this country. It's in our | | | | opposition to gambling is "the most disingenuous |
| blood. It's our birthright. And America's Playground is | | | | reasoning" that he'd ever heard. He also believes |
| the only city in the country that could possibly match | | | | there's already illegal gambling at live sporting events |
| that sort of frenzy and bacchanalia | | | | in most other sports."There's more bets taken during |
| stride-for-stride.The population of Las Vegas has | | | | an NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden |
| tripled over the course of the last 20 years to 1.8 | | | | then there is on that game here," Goodman said. |
| million, and it remains one of the fastest-growing | | | | "Think about it, you going to sit around watching 10 |
| cities in the country. Its economy pumps out a | | | | guys run up and down the court for two hours |
| staggering $72 billion annually, with nearly 38 million | | | | without some money going around? I didn't think |
| tourists blowing through town each year and | | | | so."For my money, the owners and execs are the |
| contributing their mortgage/retirement/child's college | | | | real criminals. They are vicious and vile, feasting on |
| fund to that honey pot. If we assume three-fifths of | | | | the flesh of children and old people. Just look at Al |
| all Las Vegas visitors are sports fans - a | | | | Davis. They loot the public treasury for a new |
| measurement the Founding Fathers would approve - | | | | stadium. They charge $8.50 for a beer. They claim |
| that would yield a pool of roughly 24 million fans to | | | | their low-rent, second-rate organizations are |
| draw from."I've said before that just like Dallas is | | | | perpetually "rebuilding". They draft emotionally |
| America's Team, I truly think that a team in Las | | | | unstable and intellectually shallow children, get them |
| Vegas would be the World's Team," Las Vegas | | | | hopped up on Potential and mescaline and turn them |
| Mayor Oscar Goodman said. "We really have the | | | | loose on society. Then the players are cut loose |
| type of cosmopolitan people out here that would | | | | after they become multiple felons.It's inconceivable |
| embrace the hometown team."Goodman is an | | | | that owners and league executives can pass |
| outspoken, martini-swilling, showgirl-loving Philadelphia | | | | judgment on Las Vegas or legalized professional |
| native and the ace in the hole for the city's bid for | | | | gambling on the basis of some moral authority. They |
| pro sports. He is disarmingly honest, and has the guile | | | | have more blood on their hands than most, and since |
| and zeal one would expect from an attorney who | | | | they wouldn't resist the urges of greed and |
| used to defend such ruthless mobsters as Meyer | | | | temptation they don't expect anyone else to |
| Lansky and Anthony Spilotro. Goodman is on record | | | | either."They don't realize the Nevada sports books |
| in support of canings and thumb amputations as | | | | and the league are on the same side," Kornegay said. |
| punishment, and has shown up in public surrounded | | | | "We both want 'true' games. If anyone gets hurt on |
| by Elvis impersonators. Would you bet against | | | | a crooked game it's the sports books. This is why |
| him?Goodman has lobbied and prodded owners and | | | | we have so many policies, regulations and procedures |
| commissioners in all major sports to relocate or | | | | to make sure the games stay true.""Someday they |
| expand to his orgiastic oasis. Vegas currently hosts | | | | will realize that they need us a lot more than we |
| major events in boxing, NASCAR, Arena Football, | | | | need them," Goodman said of sports leagues.The |
| Triple-A baseball and tennis. Also, the city locked up a | | | | NHL and MLB have stated that if Las Vegas was |
| bid to host the 2007 NBA All-Star Game. They will be | | | | awarded a franchise the casinos and books would |
| the first non-NBA city to do so.With the recent | | | | have to agree not to take bets on the home team. |
| financial difficulties of pro sports franchises in Florida, | | | | This arrangement was a condition of hosting the NBA |
| Portland, Seattle, San Diego and New Orleans, the | | | | All-Star Game, and had been in place for UNLV and |
| number of potential suitors for Las Vegas seems to | | | | Nevada athletics until recently. The NBA has said that |
| be at its pinnacle. Goodman said that discussions have | | | | the books would have to agree not to take any |
| been "real hot" with the NHL.However, not everyone | | | | action on any NBA games - period - before Las |
| shares his optimism."I believe Las Vegas will not be | | | | Vegas would be given its own team.Over $2.5 billion |
| seriously considered until someone steps up and | | | | was gambled through legal channels in Las Vegas in |
| builds a new arena to host a team," said Jay | | | | 2005. Nearly $400 million of that was on the NBA. |
| Kornegay, executive director of the sportsbook at | | | | Those are high stakes for casino owners and |
| the Las Vegas Hilton. "Right now it seems like Las | | | | operators, especially since they form the backbone |
| Vegas is just being used as a pawn for some owners | | | | of the local economy but stand to gain little from the |
| to strike deals around the country."Sin City's greatest | | | | presence of a pro team. Also, what if Las Vegas |
| strength is also its greatest weakness when it comes | | | | were awarded an MLB team and it made the World |
| to seducing a team into its hypnotic trance. The | | | | Series, or if they got an NFL team and it played in |
| reason there isn't a team in Las Vegas already has | | | | the Super Bowl? There would be riots in the street |
| little to do with being the 47th ranked television | | | | and potentially billions of dollars lost.Should Las Vegas |
| market, its lack of a state-of-the-art arena or its | | | | have a pro sports team? Could it even handle one? |
| graveyard of defunct pro franchises since 1976. No, | | | | We will see. But when asked what the odds of Las |
| Las Vegas doesn't have a team today because it | | | | Vegas having a pro franchise by 2010 were, |
| permits legalized gambling and is seen by some as a | | | | Goodman didn't hesitate: "It's a guarantee."Hmm. A |
| modern Sodom and Gomorrah.It's true that gambling | | | | guarantee in Vegas? If you're willing to buy that, I'm |
| and hedonism are at the soul of Las Vegas. But | | | | willing to bet that you'll be welcome in Sin City |
| that's what gives it such a unique relationship with | | | | anytime. |