City won’t fight ballot initiative to nix stadium funding

By Conor Shine

Published Wednesday, March 4, 2015 | 12:15 p.m.

Updated Wednesday, March 4, 2015 | 4:11 p.m.

The Las Vegas City Council voted today not to challenge a petition initiative to block public funding for a downtown stadium, meaning voters will decide the issue in the June election.

The city already has decided not to pursue a stadium deal after Major League Soccer decided last month not to grant Las Vegas an expansion franchise.

The council was considering whether to appeal a February decision by a Clark County District Court judge that ruled a petition initiative gathered by stadium opponents — led by city council members Bob Beers, Stavros Anthony and Lois Tarkanian — had enough signatures to qualify for the ballot.

The city had initially said 8,258 signatures were necessary, but the judge ruled the group needed only 2,306 signatures.

City Attorney Brad Jerbic said today he thinks the petition is invalid because of its wording, which seeks to amend the city charter. Jerbic argued petition initiatives can only amend ordinances.

But there wasn’t much desire among City Council members to continue the fight over a failed stadium plan. The matter has since has morphed into a political issue ahead of the June election in which four council members, including the mayor, are up for re-election.

The council split 2-2 on a vote on whether to appeal the judge’s decision, not enough to pass the motion.

Mayor Carolyn Goodman and Councilman Bob Coffin voted against the appeal, while council members Steve Ross and Ricki Barlow voted in support.

Beers and Anthony couldn’t vote because they are part of the legal case; Tarkanian was absent from the meeting.

If approved by voters, the petition initiative would block the city from using public funds in the future to build a downtown stadium at Symphony Park for a Major League Soccer team.

The city council voted 4-3 in December to put about $100 million in city funds and land toward the construction of a $200 million stadium. Those plans were nixed last month, however, when the city severed its relationship with the developer team of Cordish Cos. and Findlay Sports and Entertainment.