NBA - Las Vegas team

[THE KOD]

Stern to Vegas mayor: Make it work
Betting compromise sought as prelude to Vegas team
Posted: Wednesday February 14, 2007 3:51PM; Updated: Wednesday February 14, 2007 4:38PM


NBA commissioner David Stern (left) is willing to work with Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman in hopes of putting a team in Vegas.
AP

LAS VEGAS -- NBA commissioner David Stern has asked Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman to come up with a compromise on sports betting -- the strongest signal yet of the NBA's intention to place a team in Las Vegas.

Stern made the request during a meeting Wednesday morning at the mayor's office, according to both Stern and Goodman.

Stern said he essentially laid his cards on the table, telling Goodman that the NBA's interest in his city was obvious, based on the league's presence in Las Vegas for All-Star Weekend. Stern added that the NBA recognizes that gambling has become an accepted recreation throughout the U.S. in the form of lotteries and Indian-reservation casinos.

It is understood, however, that Stern does not want legal bets to be wagered on a Las Vegas NBA franchise.

Stern concluded the meeting by telling the mayor that "the ball is in your court." He asked Goodman to bring forth his idea for a compromise that both the NBA and Nevada sports books could live with.

The obvious compromise would be a form of the old UNLV rule, in which the Vegas sports books would agree to take games involving the local NBA team off their boards -- though wagers on other NBA games would be permitted.

Earlier this week, Stern publicly conceded that he must yield to the wishes of his 30 franchise owners, who clearly want to see an NBA team playing in Las Vegas.

However, a source close to Stern emphatically states that the owners would not approve a move to Las Vegas unless a version of the old UNLV is applied. If Goodman is unwilling to compromise on sports betting, the source maintains, the NBA will not place a team in Las Vegas.

But some powerful people in Las Vegas have a different reading of the NBA owners, suggesting that a compromise may not even be needed in order for owners to approve a team in Vegas.

For now, though, the pressure is on Goodman to work out a compromise with the major casino operators in Nevada.

"I really want to go to the gaming industry to see where they stand, what concessions they feel they can make, and go from there," Goodman told SI.com on Wednesday. "I have a great feeling now that it's going to be in the hands of the owners. We're not going to have any kind of blockade as has been in existence in the past."

Stern told Goodman that he does not expect an answer this weekend. If the mayor comes back to Stern with an offer of compromise in one month, then Stern would put it on the agenda of the Board of Governors meeting in April, when the owners will hash out the Las Vegas proposal.

If the owners agree, the door will be wide open for the first major sports franchise to move a team into America's gambling capital.
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This is about the stupidest thing I have read in awhile. What differance does not allowing the books to post Vegas teams plays have to do with getting a franchise there.

Betting goes on regardless.:shrug:

Its makes no sense the way they think.

 

[Senor Capper]

Maloof 's will bring the Kings to Vegas by or around 2010.

Bet on it !!!! :SIB

 

[bjfinste]

Stern to Vegas mayor:
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This is about the stupidest thing I have read in awhile. What differance does not allowing the books to post Vegas teams plays have to do with getting a franchise there.

Betting goes on regardless.:shrug:

Its makes no sense the way they think.

In fall of 2000 I was in Vegas. After capping the games, I had a list of, I think, eight, I wanted to play. One of them was UNLV/Air Force. This was when the old rule was still in effect. So I placed the first seven bets at The Stardust, and then hopped online to bet the UNLV game at Pinnacle... or was it WSEX.... or was it Olympic? I can't remember... it was available everywhere EXCEPT the Vegas casinos.

 

[Agent 0659]

Fukcing retarded hypocrits.

How much sense does it make that you can bet an NBGay game at every casino EXCEPT the Palms becuse the Maloofs own the Kings. What is the argument for that retarded rule?

 

[bjfinste]

Fukcing retarded hypocrits.

How much sense does it make that you can bet an NBGay game at every casino EXCEPT the Palms becuse the Maloofs own the Kings. What is the argument for that retarded rule?

I think the concern was that if they would, for some reason, have a million in play on the Kings and $5,000 on the other team, they could tell their guys to shave points to save the owners money.

 

[Terryray]

excerpts from interview with Maloof few days back

excerpts from interview with Maloof few days back

Do you like the sound of Las Vegas Kings?

(Maloof laughs) The Las Vegas Kings? Hmmm. It's hard. We're so damn loyal to Sacramento and the fans up there. That's my reaction. We just have great loyalty to that community. But we need an arena that's best for that community.


Mayor Goodman said playing host to an All-Star game is a "giant step" toward Las Vegas getting a team. Do you agree?

I would agree with that. I think it's a great step. Yeah. Absolutely. I would agree with that.

What needs to be done?

The first would be a comfort level with the NBA about the gambling part of it. That has to be solved. I think that can be figured out. Obviously, you have to have a facility. We don't have one in this community right now. That's probably the biggest hurdle. Then, (he laughs) a team.


Might there one day be a Maloof Arena in Las Vegas?

Us, the Maloofs, build an arena here? You can't finance an arena privately. Nobody does it. Doesn't make sense.


Wasn't Staples Center in Los Angeles a privately financed endeavor?

That was rare. You need help. You have to have public help. You can't do it privately. Doesn't make sense. No, I don't see us doing that.


Have NBA Commissioner David Stern and his lieutenants done their due diligence to learn how well gaming in Nevada is policed and regulated?

David Stern is a brilliant guy, first of all. He does his homework, unlike any human being I've ever met. I don't know if that answers your question, but he does his homework. He has a great understanding of what the NBA is and where he wants it to go. Obviously, with the owners' involvement, he gets it. He's a man who can change his mind. But he understands it. He has a great vision, he really does.


Isn't Stern adamantly against gambling?

Maybe the NBA sees it as a risk. Why take that risk? I think that can change. That attitude can change.


Could an NBA team come to Las Vegas without the Maloofs being involved?

I've never thought of that. Sure. We wouldn't be against a team coming here. That's an interesting question. For me, personally, it would be great to have our team here; I wouldn't have to fly anywhere. I don't know how my brothers or mother would feel. But it would be great to leave the Palms and see our team play (here, regularly). But our team is in Sacramento. I don't mind flying out there, either.


What about an NBA team coming here if the books only have to take down wagers on a Las Vegas team?

I think that could probably happen. I think that's a great idea.


What about only taking down Las Vegas games when its team plays at home?

That would be even better. I think that would be great. I think having an NBA team here and having no restrictions on any betting, like we do with UNLV, is just fine. The next step would be to restrict (bets) on that team, which I don't think is necessary. As a casino owner, I would be in favor of that, yes. Taking the entire league off? No. Taking the local team off? Probably.


It's the first time the game will be played in a non-NBA city, but Las Vegas isn't your average non-NBA city, is it?

No, that's why I think it's special. The anticipation is so unreal, and the excitement is just building. It's already here. We have the best events in the world. This is another one, but one that hasn't been done before. Having an NBA presence and event here is remarkable.

 

[THE KOD]

NBA NO BOOM TO SPORTS BOOKS

With Las Vegas casinos not accepting wagers on the All-Star Game, there wasn't much to bet on for basketball fans in town. The MGM Grand sports book was nearly empty Friday afternoon, with a handful of Ivy League games as the only hoops offered. There was a full slate of college games on Saturday, but Wynn Hotel Sports Director Johnny Avello said his casino had seen no real boost from all those NBA fans in town.

"People come to Las Vegas, they want to see all the things the town has to offer. They want to go to shows and restaurants," Avello said. "They have other things to do on a Friday night than hang out at the sports book."

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[Steve Di]

I am a bartender at the Rainforest Cafe. I had a guy from the NBA and his girlfriend sitting at the bar on Sunday night after the game. He all but told me that Mayor Goodman is damn close to sending a proposal for an arena to the NBA. He pretty much guaranteed me that we would have a team here in 3 years. He wouldnt say whether it would be an expansion team or a moved team, but the NBA wants to be here now, but I would have to think that the Kings are the team that Vegas would want to court.