Goodman talks tourism, cultural development, soccerstadium before Hispanic group

L.E. Baskow

Mayor Carolyn Goodman gives her annual State of the City address from City Hall on Thursday,January 8, 2015.

By Ana Ley

Thursday, March 5, 2015 | 2 a.m.

Mayor Carolyn Goodman, on the campaign trail for a second term in office, highlighted tourism andcultural development during a brief address on Wednesday before a group of politically influentialLatinos.

Her visit with Hispanics in Politics follows that of City Councilman Stavros Anthony, who announcedplans to challenge Goodman for the seat last month. Anthony met with the organization on Feb. 4.

Goodman failed to get an endorsement from the nonpartisan organization when she first campaignedfor mayor four years ago -- the group instead backed Clark County Commissioner ChrisGiunchigliani. Hispanics in Politics President Fernando Romero said he "couldn't begin to say" whothe group would be endorsing this year.

Here are three highlights from Goodman's 40-minute speech:

Goodman said she wants to create a retail-driven cultural hub for Latinos in Las Vegas.

The mayor's plans were vague, but she said she envisions a marketplace similar to that of LosAngeles' downtown Olvera Street, a walkable outdoor shopping mall that plays up a romanticportrayal of old Mexico. The tree-shaded mall marketplace is home to dozens of craft shops,restaurants and businesses, and it's popular with tourists.

"Why can't we create something like that here?" Goodman told the crowd at downtown's DoñaMaria's Tamales.

Local businessman Alejandro Alvarez chimed in with a similar plan he's been pitching for more thantwo years: He wants to turn a portion of Cashman Center into a Latino cultural center run withpublic and private funding. Alvarez's proposal is being considered by city officials.

"We don't have to build anything from scratch," Alvarez said. "With a stadium like this you couldbring in artists like Luis Miguel, you could do boxing events and rodeos and charreadas. We don'thave anything like that."

Goodman bragged about the revitalization of downtown Las Vegas and her efforts to draw tourists

there.

She largely credited the work of her husband and predecessor, Oscar Goodman, and venturecapitalist Tony Hsieh.

"We're about tourism," Goodman said. "We're about conventions. We're about bringing people fromother parts of the country."

Travelers from Mexico are the second largest group among international visitors to the destination,she told the crowd, and the city should better cater to that demographic.

Goodman spent a significant portion of the speech lamenting her failed effort to bring a soccer teamand stadium to Las Vegas, an issue that could compromise her chances to keep her seat.

Goodman worked the room early into her speech by boasting that "life is good in Las Vegas" andtouting the Hispanic community's "huge pride in your culture."

But later she ticked off a list of issues she believed to be hindering the city's development andcriticized those who opposed her plan to bring a soccer team and stadium to Las Vegas. One of thoseopponents has been Anthony.

Jose Solorio, president of a new political advocacy group dubbed the Political Advancement ofLatinos Organization, said he was disappointed with Anthony's objection to the stadium. Solorio,who listened to both candidates' speeches, said he would vote to keep Goodman because she seemsmore in touch with the valley's Hispanic community.

"Soccer is a passion for our people," Solorio said.

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