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Goodman's final hours on job a rush of 'happiest mayor' events around town
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Oscar Goodman -- the real one is in front, the wax likeness stands in back -- talks with the news media at Madame Tussauds wax museum at The Venetian on Tuesday, the last day of his stint as mayor of Las Vegas. Goodman swears in his wife, Carolyn, today to take over his duties. K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal » Buy this photo
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Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, sitting next to wife Carolyn, who is the city's incoming mayor, is startled by an explosion of streamers Tuesday on the set of his live call-in "Town Hall" show on KCLV-TV. The showgirls are Jennifer Autry, top left, and Stacey Shea. The Elvis impersonator is Jesse Garron. At right is City Manager Betsy Fretwell. K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal » Buy this photo
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Oscar Goodman spent his last full day as mayor of Las Vegas in a media blitz of seemingly nonstop television lights and flashing strobes, giving the world one last concentrated dose of the "Happiest Mayor in the Universe."
Today he'll swear in his wife, Carolyn, to take over his duties and his championship of downtown redevelopment.
"It's not sad," he said several times Tuesday when asked about the end of his 12-year stint. "I've had a great run.
"I was lucky and fortunate to have been the mayor of Las Vegas, particularly the first nine years when everything we touched turned to gold."
Goodman spent most of the day doing the things that made him famous -- media appearances at which he could joke about his gin habit, talk up downtown projects, walk around with young, beautiful women, and bask in the attention he receives as the "brand" of Las Vegas, a role he plans to continue with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority after leaving office.
The day ended on a different kind of celebratory note, though, when many of the city's movers and shakers trekked to the studios of KCLV-TV, the city's television station, to pay tribute to Las Vegas' many successes downtown since Goodman took office.
The most Goodman-esque event of the day took place at Binion's on Fremont Street, where the soon-to-be-ex-mayor opened a poker tournament, bragged about his seven-for-seven baseball picks over the weekend and imitated Alfred Hitchcock for a reality television show.
"The only thing I can't do," Goodman said to Binion's owner Terry Caudill, "is have a drink. I have a couple of events after this, and I can't 'schlur' my words."
For the benefit of several cameras, including a crew filming "Casino Confidential," a reality show set in Binion's, Goodman entered escorted by two scantily clad Binion's Cowgirls.
After getting poker players going with the cry of "Dealers, shuffle up and get the cards in the air," he sat down with the television crew and wrapped up with a strange request.
"This is my dream come true," he said. "I want to be the Alfred Hitchcock of mayors."
He then was filmed imitating the filmmaker's plodding walk that opened the classic television series -- and demanded to be in each episode.
"Put me in every segment so that people can say, 'Who's that guy?' " Goodman said, despite knowing perfectly well that people recognize him the world over. He backed up his humorous demand to Caudill: "Hey, Terry. The next mayor may put your liquor license in jeopardy if I'm not in it."
Next it was on to Madame Tussauds wax museum at The Venetian, which has a statue of Goodman in its collection. The statue's tie was traded out for one celebrating Las Vegas' centennial.
Afterward, Goodman reflected on his first day in office in 1999.
"It was a blur," he said. "I had no idea what I was doing. They just threw me the gavel and said, 'It's yours.' "
In the beginning, there were plenty of people who thought Goodman wouldn't make it as mayor. Some of them showed up Tuesday at the city's TV studio for Goodman's final episode of "Town Hall," a live call-in show.
"I was not a believer, initially," said former U.S. Sen. Richard Bryan, who was once Goodman's law partner.
Neither was Don Snyder, board chairman for the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, who said he didn't vote for Goodman in 1999.
"You have earned our respect," he said. "You have earned our thanks."
Said Bryan: "I think this is a commencement. You've graduated. Now there's a lot left to do."
Other guests on the show also were political players and downtown leaders: Rep. Shelley Berkley, condominium developer Sam Cherry, Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, Larry Ruvo of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, U.S. District Judge Lloyd George, downtown nightlife pioneers Michael and Jennifer Cornthwaite, "CSI" creator Anthony Zuicker and Rossi Ralenkotter, president and CEO of the convention authority.
"This is like 'A Christmas Carol,' " Goodman said at one point. "Christmas past, Christmas future.
"This is overwhelming. I got really lucky because things happened during my watch that I got credit for."
With the Smith Center and the Ruvo Center, those things include World Market Center, Premium Outlets mall, a rejuvenated Arts District, the Fremont East Entertainment District, the Mob Museum, the new City Hall and the planned move of Zappos corporate headquarters downtown.
One goal that wasn't met was snagging a professional sports franchise to move into a new arena that Goodman wanted. He said he is "very confident" his wife will succeed where he didn't.
Goodman keeps adding to the things he might have on his plate after leaving office. He already has announced the convention authority gig, and on Tuesday, a documentary crew was following him around, but they would not discuss what project they were working on.
He might be a judge in a Las Vegas-based courtroom show, he said, in addition to another possible role on "CSI" and other TV and movie projects in which he would play a producer role.
Goodman couldn't go out without a little bit of Old Vegas, and at the end of the "Town Hall" show, he was joined by two showgirls and Elvis impersonator Jesse Garron, who said he was asked recently who was more important to Las Vegas: Elvis, or Oscar Goodman?
The answer is Goodman, Garron said.
"And if you don't believe me," he added, "go ask him."
Contact reporter Alan Choate at achoate@reviewjournal.com or 702-229-6435.
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If least effective can turn an entire downtown from drug dealer infested, runned down housing with metal bars into what it is today. i am sure waiting to meet the most edffective mayor. then again for the whiners, have anyone ever been good enough? perhaps put money in your bank and guarantee you eternal happiness and a prefect life , maybe that is enough? As i stated before, no matter where you go, there you are with the cloud over your head. LOL
Have we had enough of this happiest of mayors? Hopefully there is a larger purpose than keeping hizonor happy. There are unfortunately many less happy Las Vegans, unemployed, losing homes and generally facing uncertain prospects. We need new leadership to guide this community to a greater level of economic well being. It will take more than installing a different Goodman in office as official greeter.
Best Mayor Las Vegas EVER HAD, Oscar, you will be missed!!!!! Thank you. Matt Archuleta
And one more thing, let's not forget that in 2003, Goodman was voted the "Least Effective Public Official in the Review-Journal's annual reader's poll" - right smack in the middle of what he calls a time when 'everything we touched turned to gold'. Hmm.
He graduated from Penn Law School and within days was working in Las Vegas representing every miscreant in society, especially killers from the mafia. Within 2 years he was Chief Deputy Public Defender despite having little experience other than as a go to grunt for a law firm. Talk about being juiced in. This city has desperately hung their hats on guys like this over the years.
He is obsolete. What is on tap are 1000 more Lois Tarkanian Nurse Ratchet types telling us why everything we enjoy is illegal or not taxed highly enough. Get ready for midnight bar closings and $200 parking tickets and red light tickets like every other city this size endures.
Mayor of Las Vegas is a largely symbolic position with little real authority. Nobody was more symbolic than Oscar Goodman. Goodman openly embraced the things that set Las Vegas apart from any other city, after other mayors had shied away from them. No mayor in the country was a better salesman for his or her city, and probably no mayor was as good a match for his or her city. Goodman certainly wasn't perfect and he had his share of gaffes and run-ins, but I will miss him as the face of our city.
YES! vegas local you a re right on! and again for the naysayer who thinks when vegas do well it is because the nation is doing well, then by the same logic vegas only did poorly when nation do poorly. He is only able to do the best room service as a staff on the titanic,can't steer the ship out of danger. That is Obama's job after brillian Bush. Oscar deserves credit and nobody talks about the fact that vegas was top city in the nation for every economic aspect for over 10 years( long before the current bubble burst ) and only drag down by greedy bankers and home buyers that want fast profit , now how can a mayor have anything to do with that? He is not responsible for federal lending guidlines and mortgage regulations. For those wh thinks he is partying all the time. He looks like he is partying cause that is the image he wants visitors to see!!!! vegas busness is no longer solely gambling, what the biggest revenue increase is the spa and restauarnat destination plus the huge nightlife / club destination segment( light group did over 200 million in night club business ). So how do you make this town looks attractive ? by having a party mood all the time!
If any of you remember what it was like here 12 years ago, before Oscar was sworn in, you'd remember the state this city was in when that hag Jan Laverty-Jones was in charge. Wake up people, Oscar is (was ) the best thing that happened to this town!
Oscar Mayor will not be going very far.....Mrs Oscar is in now; we will keep the same show.
I just wish they would drop the idea of trying to entice a professional sports team here; we can't even support a AAA baseball team or hockey club let alone a professional team.
We have shift workers and even if you are a fan, you can't afford tickets or get off work to support your team.
If a new statium is built, the tickets are going to double and I don't even want to think about the price of T-shirts or a beer!!!!