Stratosphere grounds ride, vows to raise issue again

There's no indication that the Stratosphere will radically alter its plans for a proposed 700-foot thrill ride, even after city officials warned Wednesday that it would never win approval in its current state.

"In some form, this will ultimately come back before the council," Attorney John Moran Jr., representing the Stratosphere, said after the City Council granted the resort's request that the issue be pulled from Wednesday's agenda. "It may be the same or it may be in another form."

Tempers flared during the City Council meeting, as residents and Councilman Gary Reese faced off against Stratosphere representatives who -- realizing they had no council support -- asked to have the application for a thrill ride withdrawn from the agenda. The company can bring the item back, but Reese said the company shouldn't waste its time if the plan remains the same.

Moran, though, persisted that the thrill ride was the only way the casino could attract tourists and compete with other attractions on the Las Vegas Strip. He said the thrill ride is the key, and while the company would work with the residents, the project would come back to the council in some form.

The proposed ride would carry passengers in an enclosed car 700 feet above Las Vegas Boulevard South before letting them drop face-down at 122 mph. The car would cross the Strip and climb a 416-foot steel-truss structure on the opposite site of the boulevard before stopping.

"This project will in fact go forward," Moran said. "We want more time to mold the project and change it, and bring it back."

The decision frustrated residents, who accused the Stratosphere of using a delay tactic in asking for the item to be taken off the agenda. Emotions reached the boiling point for Reese, who was furious that the Stratosphere had threatened in recent weeks to end support for a downtown monorail and would resurrect a gorilla ride that was approved in 1996.

"There have been a lot of mistakes made by the Stratosphere," Reese said. "I don't think that anybody sitting here wants to be threatened. Don't threaten me."

A dozen residents attended the meeting to express their opposition to the project. While sound and traffic issues were concerns, the residents said their main issue is preserving the integrity of a historic neighborhood.

"We all want to see the Stratosphere do well," said Dayvid Figler, a resident and public defender. "The question is, is this a good business decision, and at what cost?"

In a final effort to win approval for the thrill ride, casino owner and billionaire investor Carl Icahn met Tuesday with Mayor Oscar Goodman.

Goodman said he told Icahn that he didn't have the support of the council. Goodman also stressed the importance of encouraging residents to move downtown, to complete the overall vision of downtown revitalization.

The meeting resulted in a letter sent to the council asking for the item to be withdrawn so it could work out "outstanding issues" with the neighborhood.

Goodman said he would meet again with Icahn in an effort to "change minds" or advise him on appropriate changes to the project.

Reese is adamant that the application in its current form is unaccaptable and must be changed.

"Even if you reapply, if it's not what (the neighbors) want, it's not what I want," he said.

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