Stadium board meeting canceled

Community benefits plan was on agenda

The Stadium Authority Board has canceled its meeting planned for Thursday.

The board’s next meeting will be held Nov. 9, Chairman Steve Hill said in a message to the board.

“Two weeks ago, our staff and attorney asked for additional time to make progress on documents prior to a meeting in October,” Hill wrote.

“As you know, we looked for alternative dates later in the month, but the only dates available to a majority of the board were so near the regularly scheduled meeting on November 9 as to make rescheduling unnecessary,” he continued. “We will, therefore, cancel the meeting scheduled for this Thursday, October 12, and reconvene on November 9.”

On the agenda was a community benefits plan spelling out how the Oakland Raiders would contribute philanthropically, contract with small businesses and provide jobs to local minority laborers.

Community activists from the historic west Las Vegas community and North Las Vegas have addressed the board in public comment periods over the past four months. In occasionally heated testimony, groups within the community have sought a seat at the table to develop the plan.

But the Raiders haven’t asked for their help.

The team reportedly turned the project over to Lynn Littlejohn, community benefits director for Mortenson Construction, the Minneapolis-based general contractor for the 65,000-seat domed football stadium planned in Las Vegas at Interstate 15 and Russell Road.

Also reportedly working with the Raiders is state Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford, D-las Vegas, who announced his candidacy for attorney general last month.

Contact Wade Tyler Millward at wmillward@reviewjournal. com or 702-383-4602. Follow @ wademillward on Twitter. Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@ reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @Rickvelotta on Twitter.