Next week, the Republican candidates will be debating. All eyes will be on Donald Trump who claims he can “get things done.”

As CEO in a private business and as a man who occasionally has unlimited funds, indeed Mr. Trump can get things done. For 30 plus years, I worked at a privately-owned company in Chicago, and our owner could pretty much do what he wanted when he wanted. Wall Street didn’t interfere, nor was he subject to the same rules that apply to public entities.

All this came to mind on Tuesday morning when I attended a meeting of the Las Vegas Global Business District Committee. I knew this committee was part of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Association (LVCVA), whose board meetings I have attended in the past. (LVCVA is the “official destination marketing organization for Las Vegas” promoting southern Nevada as a convention, meetings, and tourist destination. The activities of LVCVA are financed through room taxes and revenue from its convention facilities.)

But I had never quite understood what the “Global Business District” wording meant so decided to attend the meeting.

Members of this Board subcommittee, incidentally, are local leaders Chuck Bowling (President & COO Mandalay Bay and committee chairman), Tom Collins (Clark County Commissioner), Tom Jenkin (Global President, Caesars Entertainment), John Lee, (Mayor, North Las Vegas) Kristin McMillan (President and CEO Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce), Steven Ross (Mayor Pro Tem, City of Las Vegas) and Cam Walker (Mayor Pro Tem, Boulder City).

First item on the agenda was: changing the name of the committee. Whoopee! Now the name (pending the full board approval) will be the
“Las Vegas Convention Center District Committee.” A staff member told me privately the new and old names generally mean a committee that makes recommendations on the planned expansion/renovation of the Las Vegas Convention Center properties.

Spending public money requires a now well-known word: “transparency.” LVCVA is expert at this. Important meetings are open to the public. Agendas are published in advance, the public has a chance to speak at the meetings, minutes are public record, and press and TV coverage is welcomed. Folks who attend morning meetings at the convention center even have access to free “wake-up” coffee and other goodies. Want to know how LVCVA spends its money? Here are the reports.

The bulk of Tuesday’s meeting was “what to do” with the Riviera property recently purchased by LVCVA. To be “transparent,” LVCVA Owner Representative Terry Miller of Cordell Corporation led a discussion of the two alternatives for the Riviera Property: (A) demolition and repaving the grounds as temporary outdoor exhibition space until funds are available for future construction or (B) leaving the property as is until funds are available for future construction. The discussion was detailed, but pretty much was for show because tearing down the Riviera and using the land temporarily (for a projected three years) for outdoor displays was clearly the better alternative, and funds of more than $40 million had already been set aside in the budget for this alternative. Nonetheless, a thorough discussion of both alternatives was held, and Alternative A was chosen to be recommended to the full Board.

As the discussion progressed, Miller detailed the selection methodology for filling the contracts associated with Alternative A. Two kinds of contracts were specified as was the selection process for each. An Evaluation Team would be formed to make recommendations to the committee and to the LVCVA Board.

Randall Walker, who as Clark County Director of Aviation formerly was responsible for expansion at McCarran International Airport, is consulting on all aspects of the project and, if I heard correctly, will be part of the Evaluation Team. As I listened to all the details (and believe me, this meeting was full of details), I couldn’t help but think of Donald Trump. I thought of Barack Obama, too. Obama had gotten impatient while wanting to get things done. Can you imagine Mr. Trump dealing with “transparency”?

We all wish that government somehow were as nimble as the private sector, but it isn’t. With regard to the Riviera, the LVCVA can’t just hire a consultant and have the consultant tie up the details, then call a demolition company and set a date. LVCVA must justify all its decisions to the public, through public meetings that detail their processes. On the largest Riviera expenditures, for example, LVCVA must first know what skills the bidding companies must have, then qualify the bidders, then ask for public bids, have the bids evaluated, make recommendations, etc.

The word is that at least six months will elapse before the Riviera comes down, and oh yes, that demolition will also involve any needed remediation of the land. In the meantime, the Riviera site needs security, maintenance, operational utilities and insurance coverage as well as attractive fencing so the property is not a blight for folks walking down the Strip. Transparency takes lots of work… and time.

Donald, you and the others better not promise too much…too soon.