LAS VEGAS MAYOR READY TO WELCOME RAIDERS

Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said Friday all signs point to the Oakland Raiders getting NFL approval to relocate during next week’s meetings in Phoenix.

“Having spoken with people in town, they’re all affirmative in what’s going to happen,” she said during a phone conversation.

Goodman is so confident she’s had her personalized car license plates “CG” framed with “Here’s to the Las Vegas Raiders.”

The NFL owners are meeting in Phoenix from Sunday through Tuesday, with the Raiders’ relocation application among the most pressing business issues. The Raiders need 24 votes from the 32 owners to leave Oakland.

Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak, through spokesman Erik Pappa, said he’s aware that “a number of different events may happen around town on different days but in his conversations with the Raiders they don’t make any announcements, so it’s premature in terms of what kind of events may unfold until after the vote.”

A third source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the Raiders have held planning meetings with UNLV about a Tuesday press conference and a fan rally.

“They have looked into it. They would like to do some kind of community celebration but don’t want to commit to anything until the NFL owners vote on it,” the source said.

Goodman said she recently spoke to Raiders president Marc Badain and “everybody’s optimistic. It’s logical that something would be held at UNLV because all of our meetings have been held at the the university.”

The Rebels would share the 65,000-seat, $1.9 billion stadium with the Raiders.

“There’s going to be a huge explosion for Las Vegas,” said the mayor. “I think the other sports will follow in time. We’ll get ‘em all.”

She and Sisolak were on the 11-member Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee (SNTIC) that helped push through the $750 million in public money that would come from a hotel room tax.

The Raiders have pledged a contribution of $500 million, which includes a $200 million loan from the NFL. Bank of America recently stepped in to become the Raiders’ financial partner when billionaire casino owner Sheldon Adelson dropped out, along with his investment bankers Goldman Sachs.