Las Vegas wants to build a brand new city hall with a price tag of $150 million. The decision comes at a time when the city is facing money problems and the potential for big budget cuts. Despite that, Las Vegas leaders say it’s still a good deal.

Some are criticizing the plan to build a new city hall. But it’s a deal an annoyed Mayor Oscar Goodman called a no brainier. “If anybody had a brain before they shot off their big mouth they would know what the facts are,” he said.

The city gave the development company Livework Las Vegas land in the new downtown development Union Park near the water authority building. In exchange, Livework gave the city property between Main Street and Casino Center Boulevard and agreed to build a new city hall without a down payment.

“Were not talking about a regular city hall building. We’re talking about a civic center. We’re talking about revitalizing a whole area of our community here,” said Mayor Goodman. 

A Livework Las Vegas rendering shows where the new city hall will sit, on Main and Clark. The completed project will be called Civic Center Commons with shops, offices and a new transportation hub.

But the development means Joe Tarviff will have to move. His $550-a-month apartment is on the land owned by Livework Las Vegas.

“If we’re in what you call a recession and they want to keep building and building and they you know, where is it gonna end,” said Tarviff.

But Mayor Goodman says the project is all in the name of progress. City Hall worker Sheryl Dellaringa agrees.

“Cities, states, they spend a lot of money on things that most people don’t think are important and I agree that there’s a lot of things that aren’t important and I think this is a smart thing to do. I think it is,” said Dellaringa.

City officials say retrofitting the current 35-year-old city hall building would cost more money than building a new one under the Livework Las Vegas agreement.

Starting in 2011, the city will have to start making $2 million payments to lease the building. After five years, they can rework the lease or use money from the sale of the old city hall to help pay for the new one.

Financing and construction plans are being worked out, but the new hall will be a green — energy efficient building.

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