Where I Stand -- Robert Goulet: The $50 million question; Why doesn't LV have theater

IN AUGUST, Where I Stand is written by guest columnists. Today, world-famous singer and actor Robert Goulet says he has no doubts about what he would do for Las Vegas if he had a "spare $50 million dollars." In a world where people become overnight stars for a fleeting moment, Goulet's unique talents have endured for more than 40 years. Goulet and his wife, Vera, make Las Vegas their home.

KNOWING IT WILL never become a reality, but being endowed with a most vivid imagination, I can only fantasize what I would do with a spare $50 million dollars.

Build a mansion by the sea, or a castle in the mountains. Or maybe do something that would benefit the people of my community for many years to come.

Hospitals we have; marvelous hospitals. Hotels -- of the largest 25 hotels on the planet, we have 24. Not New York City, not Los Angeles, San Francisco, London or Paris: Las Vegas.

We have snowcapped mountains, plus the largest man-made lake in the world, all the golf courses any community could desire, and a glorious climate.

So, what is it we lack?

How about a theatre for the performing arts?

Hey, wouldn't that be nice?

In the last 35 years, I've performed in many of this country's theatres, and each one was an ardent gleam in its patrons' eyes.

"What do you think of our theatre?" is the anticipatory query I get wherever I go. It's remarkable to me how many cities with populations of 200,000 to 300,000 people have 3,000-seat theaters. And the residents fill those seats. They're anxious to garner what wonders there may be in the ballet or the symphonic, operatic and theatrical presentations available to them.

You can gather that I would greatly relish being able to bring that kind of edifice to this, the city of my choice. But unfortunately, I'm a few million dollars short.

Who knows, someone such as Forest Mars, of the Mars candy bar family (who's reputed to be worth several billion dollars) might like to part with a few shekels in return for the name recognition that would last for thousands of years. "The Forest Mars Theatre for the Performing Arts." Sounds good to me.

We need a theatre in Las Vegas that all its citizens can be proud of, and I shall push and prod and pray that this goal may soon come to fruition!

P.S. How about "Greenspun's Great Hall"?

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