The NBA has given Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman more time to comprise a proposal to the league to address local sports books accepting wagers on its games.
Commissioner David Stern asked Goodman prior to last month's NBA All-Star Weekend to come up with a proposal that Stern could take to the league's board of governors. The request is widely perceived as the first serious step toward an NBA franchise possibly landing in Las Vegas.
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Today was the deadline for the proposal to be given to Stern so it could be discussed among team owners at their April 20 meeting in New York.
But Goodman said he is still gathering opinions and information and was given an extension by the league. Goodman said he'll have the proposal to the NBA in the first week of April.
Before submitting it, Goodman said he will share his plan with Clark County Commissioner Rory Reid and Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority president Rossi Ralenkotter for more input.
"I've spoken to anyone who is anybody in gaming. I've talked to Rossi and I've spoken to folks who have come up to see us about the arena, people like Kiki Vandeweghe and (former UNLV player) Jackie Robinson," Goodman said last week. "I've talked to commissioner Stern and (deputy commissioner) Adam Silver. We're in constant communication."
Goodman's proposal isn't likely to call for a local betting ban on NBA games, but rather to not allow sports books to accept wagers on games involving a Las Vegas team. There is precedent for that sort of rule; UNLV and UNR games were kept off the betting boards for years before 2001 when books began accepting wagers on the two state universities.
It is believed the proposal also will address how the city would finance and construct a new arena to house the NBA.
"I can't tell you what it's going to include," Goodman said. "I'm taking no pride of ownership here. I'm going to disseminate the information and they (Reid and Ralenkotter) can chop it up and add whatever they want.
"It's definitely my intention to let (the league) know we're going to build an arena and it is important to include it so we can begin the dialogue. We're going to build an arena whether we get an NBA or NHL team or not. We need it."
Goodman said once the letter is sent to the NBA, details of the plan will be made public.
"Once the fax goes out, it's a public document," he said.
Goodman also said he will be available for the April 20 NBA meeting.
