sign in sign up
<<
Home , Frank Rosenthal, Larry Bowa, Oscar Goodman

DAILY TUESDAY, JUNE 1, 2004 LATE SPORTS 60¢ NEWS SPORTS

ME!LAS VEGASVEGAS MAYOR, AA FORMER MOBMOB LAWYER FROMFROM PHILLY, ISIS OUTOUT TO LURELURE AA BIG-LEAGUE

SPORT TO JOE CAVARETTA/for the Daily News has SIN CITY Expos in his sights. PAGES 82-79 HIT ME! Ifyouhaveaheart, VEGASMAYOR: giveusaclub

By MARK KRAM [email protected]

AS VEGAS — So you’re L probably wondering what a plastic horse’s head is doing in Mayor Oscar Goodman’s 10th- floor office at City Hall. You wouldn’t be if you saw “The God- father,” the part where movie mo- gul Jack Woltz wakes up in hor- ror to discover that a Corleone op- erative had slipped the severed head of his thoroughbred be- tween his expensiv e sheets to per- suade him to give singer Johnny Fontane his big break in Holly- wood. Goodman’s replica is a cute decorating touch — perhaps too cute, given the lineup of mob figures he has represented dur- ing his career as a defense attor- ney — but that’s not why we’re here today. Goodman would like to lure a pro sports franchise to , which he says would just go crazy over a competitiv e team: “Vegas loves a winner!” What Las Vegas loves even more than that is a loser, of which the city imports legions on an hourly basis from across the world; you can find them in any ca- sino jamming quarter s into slot machines. It’s why Las Vegas was founded by gangster Bugsy Sie- gel back in the old days and it’s why it continues to prosper un- der the aegis of legitima te corpo- rations that have adopted a busi- ness plan that has esche wed blood flow for cash flow. The very existenc e of Las Vegas depends JOE CAVARETTA/For the Daily News on bringing you into the Oscar Goodman, whose city’s sports books doomed NBA talks, has competing groups in town trying to attract the Expos. and keeping you there, which is why for years the decor in the ho- Of even larger concern to the say, play the tables — the four ma- tractable -roof stadium a block Can the very sport that produc ed tel rooms has been so uniformly dapper ex-Phila delphian is con- jor sports have been inclined to from the Strip. Major League the affair and the 1919 garish; they want you downstair s vincing the leadership of pro steer clear of Las Vegas to assure Baseball is weighing the pros and Black Sox Scandal now hop into playing. Goodman under stands sports to buy into Las Vegas. that their veneer of propriet y re- cons of that, in addition to offers bed with the gambling capital of the principle in play, yet says he While has fueled to mains undistur bed. Competing from the Washing ton, D.C., area the universe? Goodman shrugs. was “hotter than fish grease” varying degrees the popularit y of groups are taking a at land- and Portland, Ore., among oth- “Look, the only protection any when the casino operators reject- pro sports and the athletes them- ing the vagabond Montr eal Ex- ers; commis sioner Bud Selig said of these sports have against scan- ed his plea to sign on to the crite- selves come here in droves when- pos, one of which plans to build a recently that he expected the dal is the regulatory supervision ria set down by NBA commis sion- ever they can to relax — that is to privately funded, 40,000-sea t, re- owners to decide by mid- July. that gaming imposes on er David Stern, who said Las Ve- the sports books,” says Good- gas would not get a team unless man, irritation climbing in his the sports books stopped taking voice. “Over the years, whenever wagers on their events. Says “For every one of his critics, you can find we have spotted a shift in a line, Goodman, who concedes that pro 25 people who just adore him.” sports will never succeed here un- they have called in the FBI, which less the buy into the con- comes in and arrests someone JOHN L. SMITH, on Oscar Goodman cept: “I had just hoped to see some altruism.” Continued on Next Page

PAGE 82 DAILY NEWS TUESDAY, JUNE 1, 2004 HIT ME!

Continued from Preceding Page be Reno.” Whatever Goodman is or has who is tampering with the game. THE EXPOS’ Montreal been, he has always had a keen in- Without Nevada doing that, there 4 terest in sports. Growing up in is really no entity or agency out NEXT HOME West Phila delphia on Catherine there that has that responsibilit y. Street and later Christiana near Baseball commissioner Bud Selig Without Nevada, there is no tell- 61st, he played at Central High has said he’ll announce by mid-July 6 ing what would be going on.” and later Haverford School, yet where the Expos will be playing 3 says of his athletic abilities, “I Goodman then adds with a twin- 1 next season. Here’s a glance at 8 was always the last player on the kle in his eye: “So you see it is hy- 7 their potential destinations. team.” He remember s going with pocrisy to even suggest there is his dad, an attorne y, on several oc- something untoward or unseem- 5 casions to see the Phillies play the ly about an associa tion with Las 2 Dodgers at . “I saw Vegas.” steal home three times,” he says. “Nothing was Mr. Popularity more exciting.” He remember s as If you’d like an idea of what Las a young boy how he became ac- Vegas once looked like, stroll quainted with the thrill of wager- through the downtown area, Site Proposal Plus Minus ing, how this “seedy old guy” used to come around the school where on this gray March day a 1 Northern Includes new stadium Dense population, yet If going here, why not big crowd has formed in anticipa- Virginia near Dulles Airport. far enough away from just be based in grounds. You picked three base- tion of the gala reopening of Bin- Baltimore. Washington? ball players and if they got six ion’s Horseshoe Hotel & Casino. hits, it paid 6-to -1. Goodman says San Juan, Renovate the present They’re already playing Attendance isn’t much Unlike the dazzling displa ys of op- 2 he used to bet the nickel he was P.R. stadium, adding 22 games here. better than what they’re given for lunch. ulenc e up on the Strip, downtown 12,000 seats. drawing in Montreal. has a flophouse feel to it, given on He smiles. “I sort of prefer certain corner s to encamped der- 3 Las Build $420 million, Growing area; The Aladdin, Bally’s, those days to these,” Goodman elicts steeped in the glow of puls- Vegas 40,000-seat retractable loads of tourists; Caesars Palace . . . says. “They were great old days. ing neon. Up Fremont Street are dome stadium. warm, dry climate. They were days when you could a strip joint, The Girls of Glitter root for your team and really feel Portland, Gather $350 million in Already home to More post-midnight Gulch, and a casino called Mer- 4 an attachment to your city. I Ore. financing for a NBA Trail Blazers games for would like to establish that here.” maid’s, where a video screen new stadium. and A baseball. East Coast fans. plays an ad for “Deep Fried Goodman came to Las Vegas in 1964 with his new bride, Carolyn, Twinkies.” While the Horseshoe 5 Monterrey, Expand stadium to Provides that first push Players union won’t has been the symbolic founda tion Mexico 35,000 capacity. south of the border. like that Houston to with $87 in his pocket. He says of old Las Vegas, a place where Monterrey to Phoenix when they began their drive you could wager any sum and to San Diego road trip. across America, the Phillies were in first place. “By the time we ar- founder Benn y Binion would take Washington, Construct $340 million Puts baseball back Makes Orioles owner your action, it has been closed 6 rived here, they were finished,” D.C. stadium in RFK Stadium where it belongs. Peter Angelos very, he says. With a degree from Hav- since a squad of gaming agents parking lot. very angry. and U.S. Marshals raided it in Jan- erford College and a juris doctor- uary due to bookk eeping irregu- 7 San Expand present stadium, Could as a home How about an average ate from the University of Penn- larities. Control of the propert y Antonio which seats 7,000. with Monterrey, Mexico, summer high sylvania, he found Las Vegas had has passed from the Binion clan or Austin, Texas. temperature of 95? unlimited opportunities, which only increased as he began taking into corpor ate hands, yet it re- Norfolk/ Construct $300 million, Virgin pro territory; Could a team in mains the site of the 8 on the government in defense of Hampton 38,000-seat stadium. backing of billionaire Hampton Roads such legendary crime figures as of Poker and a sentimental favor- Roads, Va. Paul L. Johnson. draw 20,000 people on . Two of his clients ite that still offers up that $1.95 a Wednesday night? breakfast. back then, and Goodman is here today for the — Paul Vigna Tony “The Ant” Spilotr o, would be played by and ribbon- cutting ceremon y. As the BRAD J. GUIGAR/Daily News appointed hour nears — 4 p.m. — , respectiv ely, in the film the crowd outside the Horseshoe up again and says with gesturing piest mayor in America,” and the paper labeled Goodman the “Casino.” Goodman played him- begins to swell. Soon there will be hands: “This [reopening] is criti- with good reason, given the ex- “barrister to butcher s.” Good- self in the movie. He had an excel- cupcak es and champa gne for ev- cal to the success of the future of tent of his popularit y with the vot- man won that election, then won lent winning percentage against eryone; but first, there’s a few Las Vegas.” He then jokes that if ers. They love him here. When he re-election last year by a whop- the government — which he gen- words from Goodman, who’s up his efforts to reopen the Horse- announc ed he was running for ping 86 percent, of which Good- erally attacked as consisting of li- on the platform and surrounded shoe had failed, he would have mayor back in 1999, the Las Vegas man says with a chuckle: “I am ars and chea ts — and was cited by statuesque showgirls wearing moved back to Phila delphia. Review-Journal was so certain still looking for the 14 percent as one of the top defense attor- headpiec es of extravagant plum- The ribbon then is cut and the the apocalypse was at hand that who voted against me.” Says Re- neys in the United States. He age. Grinning from ear to ear — doors open. it published an editorial under view-Journal columnist John L. viewed his courtroom battles as and who wouldn’t, given the bevy Colorful streamer s shoot into the headline: “Anybody but Os- Smith, who author ed “Of Rats “an athletic contest,” of which he of beauties on either side of him the air as a succession of cham- car.” Citing the array of lawless and Men,” a penetr ating book on says now: “I loved getting up in — Goodman introduc es the Key- pagne bottles pop; the cupcak es characters he defended through Goodman: “For every one of his the morning , and fighting as hard stone State Boys Choir from Phil- are inside. the years — including Philip Le- critics, you can find 25 people as I could to protect my clients.” adelphia, a group of well- The throng of bodies charge in- onetti, once under boss of the Phil- who just adore him. I call it ‘The Did he have any qualms with scrubbed young men whose voices to the old casino , where within adelphia headed by Cult of Oscar.’ ” When asked if the degree of criminalit y with are drowned out by the anticipa to- seconds the gaming tables are up Nicodemus “Nicky” Scarfo; Nick Goodman could have been elect- which clients were involved? ry under current. When they’re and running . Civella, chief of the Kansas City ed in any other city but Las Ve- done singing, Goodman then steps Goodman calls himself “the hap- syndica te; and scores of other s — gas, Smith pauses and says, “May- See VEGAS Page 80

TUESDAY, JUNE 1, 2004 PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS PAGE 83 HIT ME!

THE VEGAS SPORTS LINEUP They do play other games in Las Vegas, besides the ones inside the casinos. A peek at other threads in the Vegas sports fabric. Nevada-Las Vegas Runnin’ Rebels: They were Las Vegas sports during the Jerry Tarkanian days, from 1973 to ’92. His 1976-77 team scored more than 100 points a game, and his 1986-87 team went 37-2 and reached the Final Four. UNLV alumni playing pro sports include Keon Clark (Phoenix Suns), Keenan McCardell (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Brian Boehringer (Pittsburgh Pirates) and Chris Riley (PGA Tour). The 51s: Once called the Stars, at least back when Larry Bowa was managing there. In 2001 they became a farm team of the Dodgers and changed their name to the 51s, after the hush-hush government base known as “Area 51,” which is located about 120 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Their caps, sporting the alien logo, are among the country’s top sellers among all minor league teams. Gladiators: An Arena Football League team. You remember that, don’t you? The Soul? Bon Jovi? The Gladiators won Sunday to finish 8-8. The Thomas & Mack Center is their home arena. Wranglers: Hockey? In Vegas? Hey, they’re in the Western Conference of the East Coast Hockey League, along with other hockey havens such as Reno, Nev., Long Beach, Calif., and Anchorage, Alaska. A farm team for the NHL’s Calgary Flames, they play a 72-game schedule. JOE CAVARETTA/For the Daily News Eastside Cobras: One of two developmental semipro football Oscar Goodman’s office features photos of a different kind of family than those he used to represent. teams in the region. They join the Las Vegas Extreme in the West Coast Football League. er closes, so it would take a lot of pears to be doing well in this sec- that whenever he would travel to Las Vegas Motor Speedway: You know NASCAR’s no longer just a willpower not to fall into it.” tor of the econom y. While Good- Phila delphia or New York, he Southern sport when you see this Vegas palace, called the is not sure who man says certain people have ob- would always see kids with UN- “Diamond in the Desert.” It’s a $200 million state-of-the-art facility would want to play there, due to jected to his slogan, “Whatever LV caps on backward. Goodman that covers 1,600 acres. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the boys were here the potential distractions. “I’m happens here, stays here,” he says laughs and says, “I knew they nev- for the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 in March. sure the park they build there with a chuckle , “I myself happen er crossed the river, yet they iden- — Paul Vigna would be accessible to the Strip,” to think it is pretty good.” Good- tified with Nevada.” says the 27-year-old leftfielder, man then points out that, outside The mayor pauses and says, who has a photogr aph of the Rat the Strip, Las Vegas is just like an- “So the question is not whether VEGAS affiliate of the . Pack above his locker. “I know I other ordinary American city: Continued from Page 83 we will support a team, but wheth- In a shrewd ploy, Bowa told his wouldn’t want to play there. I People go to work, send their chil- er we will support a team that is players the first week there that, wouldn’t even want to be in the dren to school and so on. What he not a winner.” This question comes up fre- if they so chose , they could go out same division. I guess I could take does not volunteer is that the di- quently. and hit the casinos. He figured — it for 3 days, but even then . . . ” vorce and suicide rates in Nevada Goodman says he has yet to meet with commis sioner Bud Se- Goodman is prepared. correctly — that they would “get He pauses and adds, “The obvi- are the highest in the United lig, but he has had two meeting s “I was defending their constitu- their butts handed to them,” get ous is there.” States. with “high-ranking officials in his tional rights,” he says. “And it it out of their system and concen- The obvious is, well . . . do you Sports franchises have been office” to discus s bringing the Ex- gave me a lot of mone y, so I could trate on playing ball. So while the have an hour? While Las Vegas something less than a huge hit pos to Las Vegas. Goodman says, become the mayor.” He pauses visiting teams fell prey to the lure once energetically advertised it- here, which gives rise to the ques- of the nightlife — which they al- self as a vacation destina tion for tion: Why even bother courting “We would have them if we had a and adds, “And as my mother domed stadium. That is just my would say, Oscar never defended ways did — the home team families, you get the very strong MLB, the NFL, NBA or even opinion.” Columnist Smith says anyone who hurt anybody; they cleaned up on the field. It is per- sense now from Goodman and NHL ? The Triple A baseball that “for the first time there ap- just killed each other.” haps no coincidenc e that, after others that the accent is on por- team is supported by the fans, but pears to be some serious mone y” Does he expect his background finishing third during the first traying the city as an adult Dis- other teams have come and gone, half of the season, the Stars came neyland. Up on the Strip, the casi- propped up by what Smith calls behind the talk. In play at this to come up as a negative in negoti- point are two groups: One is from ating with the commis sioner s? on strong and won the second nos are overflowing with custom- “the latest huckster” and then dis- half. ers, the women in strapless cock- banded under the weight of civic , led by Lou Weisbach, an He frowns, then says sharply, entrepreneur, and Cubs broad- “Absolutely not.” So yeah, Bowa would be in fa- tail dresses and spiked heels, the torpor. Goodman believes a win- vor of having a team in Las Vegas, men in open- collared shirts and ning team would do exceptionally caster and former winner Steve Stone; the Banging on doors saying: “It would be fun.” heavy gold chains; busines s is on well in Las Vegas, and as proof Some of his players are uncer- a sharp upswing. On the pave- points to the phenomenal success other is -based Center- Larry Bowa chuckles and says, tain. ment are flyers from dozens of es- UNLV enjoyed from 1973 to ’92 un- field Mana gement Group, which “It would be a definite homefield Phillies lefthander Randy Wolf cort servic es, distributed from der controversial Jerry Tar- represent a New York developer advanta ge.” Bowa, the Phillies’ enjoys Las Vegas — during the off- long rows of honor boxes and the kanian. “All I can tell you is that it and has drawn up plans for a sta- mana ger, spent the 1986 season in season. “I love it there, but it is jutting hands of what appear to was the hottest ticket in Las Ve- Las Vegas mana ging the Triple A ‘The City of Sin,’ ” he says. “It nev- be illegal aliens; busines s also ap- gas,” says Goodman, who adds See VEGAS Page 79

PAGE 80 PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS TUESDAY, JUNE 1, 2004 HIT ME!

VEGAS all the games on any given day.” broadcast, which provoked Good- Vegas, he has toned down his old 80 degrees today, the traffic is Continued from Page 80 When Goodman tried to get the man to sound off so vociferously profile some what, and the only running beautifully , and the over- casinos to buy into “a UNLV rule” that “we ended up getting more family pictur es around his offic es all quality of life is excellent.” On dium on land it plans to lease — which is to say, no betting on advertising than we could have ev- now are of his wife, Carolyn, and his office wall are photogr aphs of from Caesars Entertainment Inc. the local NBA team — he found er paid for.” This year, the league their four adult childr en. And yet Goodman with what appear s to be every celebrit y who has ever Goodman says of the possibility them less than cooper ative. Good- stepped in and disallo wed casi- he’s still a battler, especially when passed through town, including of landing the Expos: “The people man shrugs, “Wha t can I say? nos holding Super Bowl parties it comes to parrying with his crit- one of A-Rod, one of the Dodgers’ I spoke to with MLB have been They are our U.S. Steel and IBM, to televise the game. Goodman ics. When a Nevada Ethics Com- Shawn Green and even one with very civil . . . They have not so for this to work they have to be says he is very disappointed with mission panel scheduled a hear- some Phillies players from a few voiced the same objections that I on board.” Dallas owner Mark Cu- the position of the NFL on Las Ve- ing that investigated allegations years ago. In a glass case are a heard from the NBA.” ban and Sacramento co-owner gas. He has not yet met commis- that he violated state ethics law Gavin Maloof said in January that sioner Paul Tagliabue because ball he received from the Harlem Goodman met with the NBA’s by holding a cocktail party pro- they would favor Las Vegas as the atmospher e has been “too ac- Globetr otters and boxing gloves Stern a few years ago and found moting a compan y in which his their top choic e for a 31st fran- rimonious.” He says he regards he received from Muhamma d Ali. that he had a largely “enlightened son is financially involved, an irri- chise, but an NBA spokesman the comments by the NFL on Las “A bit of everything here,” he view of Las Vegas,” where the Ma- tated Goodman told a news con- said the league has no plans to ex- Vegas to be bitter, but says he says. When the tour is over, he loof family, which owns the Sacra- ference, “I’m going to run the city pand. Nor does the NHL. hopes his comments on the NFL holds out his hand to shake and mento Kings, owns The Palms Ca- the way I want to run the city.” “are twice as bitter.” say goodb ye, but as he does, some- sino. Goodman says Stern under- That leaves the NFL. The commis sion could not agree He then says, “One of these whether Goodman acted willfully, thing suddenly occurs to him. stands “the way we regulate Goodman faced better odds A twinkle once again forms in days, Mr. Tagliabue and I are go- and cleared him of three other al- sports betting and how that is ben- when he went to court with Tony his eye. ing to sit down and have a talk.” legations: his free use of a luxury eficial to everyone,” yet adds that “The Ant.” “Hey,” he says. “I hear Skinny car; his acceptanc e of a $100,000 Stern told him that as long as he is The NFL has taken what Good- Joey got off in New Jersey.” Memories all around contract to endor se a brand of commis sioner, he is not interested man calls an anti-Las Vegas He was told that’s true: Joey in having an NBA team in Las Ve- stanc e during the last two Super When he was practicing law, gin; and his tempor arily naming a Merlino had been acquitted in gas unless the sports books refuse Bowls, which has Goodman per- the walls of Oscar Goodman’s of- city street after a magazine con- March of ordering a 1996 hit in to accept wagers on their games. plexed in light of the big boost the fice were arrayed with photo- test winner. Newark. Goodman says he told Stern that league has gotten from gambling . graphs of himself with “family” So the “happiest mayor in Goodman then nods approving- “there is more betting at Madison In 2003, the NFL would not ac- member s: he and Nicky Scarfo, America” gets an occasional ly, as if admiring the handiw ork of Squar e Garden during a Knicks cept Las Vegas advertisements Spilotr o, the bunch of them. But squall here and there, but as he a fellow artisan: “That was a nice game than all the sports here on for halftime of the Super Bowl now that Goodman’s running Las says, “The weather is going to be win for him.” i

TUESDAY, JUNE 1, 2004 PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS PAGE 79