[Grant]

Straw that stirs the drink. Hall of Fame slugger Reggie has assembled a deep-pocketed and politically connected team to bring baseball here. Among them: Brian Greenspun, editor of the" Las Vegas Sun"; developer Marty Burger; investor Stephen Ross; and the McCaw brothers, the cellular phone pioneers who control a multi-billion fortune.

"If any major sport moves there, it will be a financial success," predicts Jackson., who spends about half the year in Las Vegas and plans to make it his "main base" in the future.

Gavin Maloof , co-owner of Maloof Entertainment, says his family would also "look" closely at any ownership bid by Jackson: "This is all Reggie talks about. He's a man possessed."