This week, Ira spoke with Oscar Goodman.
Oscar Goodman, former mayor of Las Vegas for 12 years, is chairman of the host committee for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
In this 30-minute episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Goodman talks about the functions of the host committee and why it pays tribute to the organizations, conventions and events that come here; the challenges for this city’s tourism; the great characters of Las Vegas who he worked with when he was an attorney; why gaming, while still important, is only part of the unique appeal of the city; and most important, why he chose to ignore the stealing of cherry Tootsie Roll Pops from his desk.
During his tenure as mayor, he had many accomplishments in the heart of downtown, including Symphony Park, a phenomenal 61-acre planned development which includes the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry. The park also includes The Smith Center for the Performing Arts and the Discovery Children’s Museum.
Goodman was born and raised in Philadelphia; he graduated from Haverford College and received his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He has been recognized by the National Law Journal as one of the “15 Best Trial Lawyers in America.”
In addition to his work as the No. 1 ambassador of Las Vegas, he has taken up acting, playing himself in the movie “Casino” and also starring on an episode of the prime-time hit series “CSI: Las Vegas.”
Goodman is the author of the highly acclaimed “Being Oscar: From Mob Lawyer to Mayor of Las Vegas,” published by Weinstein Publishing in May 2013.
Leave a Reply