In an effort to secure a new stadium, and to keep the heat on city officials in their hometown, the Oakland Raiders are actively scouting new locations, and the most intriguing one mentioned this week is Las Vegas.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Las Vegas Sands Corp. is leading a group of investors that are offering to build a $1 billion domed stadium on 42 acres of land near the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus. The dome will become the home for UNLV's football team and could accommodate an NFL team, too.
Raiders owner Mark Davis reportedly will meet with Las Vegas Sands Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson on Friday to discuss the dome project. For the stadium to be worth constructing, it will need to have at least 65,000 seats.
"We are moving forward with the stadium concept with or without an NFL team," said Andy Abboud, Las Vegas Sands' SVP of Government Relations and Community Development, to the Review-Journal. "We see a lot more opportunities—conference championships, bowl games, NFL exhibition football, boxing, soccer, neutral site games, and music festivals. There is an entire segment out there."
O.co Coliseum in Oakland, current home of the Raiders. Photo: BrokenSphere/Wikimedia Commons.
The Raiders do not control their potential move to Los Angeles. After the Rams moved to LA earlier this month, the Chargers received the option to move to the city and share a stadium with the Rams. The Chargers have one year to accept or decline the proposal. If they pass, then the Raiders can decide if they want to move in with the Rams.
Meanwhile, the Raiders are still engaged in a stand-off with Oakland, where the city is against giving public money for a new stadium to replace the decrepit O.co Coliseum. The Raiders have looked into moving to San Diego, assuming the Chargers move, and San Antonio.
A mid-sized metro, Las Vegas is one of the largest cities to not have a team in the NFL, NBA, NHL, or MLB. That could soon be changing: The T-Mobile Arena, a 20,000-seat venue located near the Las Vegas Strip, is expected to be completed within the next few months. The $375 million arena, funded by casino company MGM, will host UFC fights, boxing bouts, and concerts, but will also try to lure an NHL team.
T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Rendering courtesy T-Mobile
Related Stories
Sports and Recreational Facilities | May 26, 2022
WNBA practice facility will offer training opportunities for female athletes and youth
The Seattle Storm’s Center for Basketball Performance will feature amenities for community youth, including basketball courts, a nutrition center, and strength and conditioning training spaces.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | May 19, 2022
Northern Arizona University opens a new training center for its student athletes
In Flagstaff, Ariz. Northern Arizona University (NAU) has opened its new Student-Athlete High Performance Center.
University Buildings | May 9, 2022
An athletic center accentuates a college’s transformation
Modern design and a student health center distinguish the new addition at The University of Saint Joseph in Connecticut.
Sponsored | BD+C University Course | May 3, 2022
For glass openings, how big is too big?
Advances in glazing materials and glass building systems offer a seemingly unlimited horizon for not only glass performance, but also for the size and extent of these light, transparent forms. Both for enclosures and for indoor environments, novel products and assemblies allow for more glass and less opaque structure—often in places that previously limited their use.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Apr 27, 2022
New Univ. of Texas Moody Center houses men’s and women’s basketball, other events
The recently completed 530,000 sf University of Texas Moody Center is the new home for men’s and women’s basketball at the Austin campus.
Multifamily Housing | Apr 26, 2022
Fitness centers for multifamily housing: Advice from 'Dr. Fitness,' Karl Smith
In this episode for HorizonTV, Cortland's Karl Smith shares best practices for designing, siting, and operating fitness centers in apartment communities.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Apr 25, 2022
Iowa's Field of Dreams to get boutique hotel, new baseball fields
A decade ago, Go the Distance Baseball formed to preserve the Iowa farm site where the 1989 movie Field of Dreams was filmed.
Projects | Apr 5, 2022
San Francisco Giants open new training facility in Phoenix
The new San Francisco Giants Player Development Center at Papago Park in Phoenix, Ariz., includes a first-of-its-kind space for Major League Baseball training facilities: an indoor half field.
Projects | Mar 22, 2022
AREA15 to open second location in Orlando, Florida
AREA15, an immersive and experiential art, entertainment, dining and retail center, recently announced that it will open its second location in Orlando, Florida, in 2024.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Feb 3, 2022
Populous designs two new venues for Birmingham
Global design firm Populous collaborated with the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center to open two new venues in Birmingham, Alabama this past Fall. Both venues are located in Birmingham’s downtown area, and are a part of the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC).
