A city whose sole major league representation was the WNBA at the start of 2017 is quickly becoming one of the biggest U.S. sports hubs.
Las Vegas now boasts NHL and NFL teams and several marquee events — and could gain MLB, NBA, and MLS teams by the end of the decade.
The NCAA also announced last week that Las Vegas will host its first Final Four in 2028.
- Sin City will host its first Formula 1 Grand Prix in November 2023.
- Las Vegas, which added the Raiders from Oakland in 2020, was awarded the 2024 Super Bowl and hosted the 2022 NFL Draft in April.
- There’s a good chance the city eventually hosts the College Football National Championship.
So Many Possibilities
The Oakland A’s have scouted land in Las Vegas, should they fail to reach a deal on a new waterfront ballpark with the Oakland city government.
If the A’s stay in Oakland, Las Vegas could be an expansion target for MLB, which is expected to add two teams once the A’s and Tampa Bay Rays resolve their stadium situations.
LeBron James wants to own an NBA team in Las Vegas — and while league commissioner Adam Silver has been wary of expansion, he has also said that adding teams is “inevitable.”
Oak View Group purchased 25 acres of land in Las Vegas with plans to build a $3 billion entertainment district centered on a $1 billion NBA-ready arena.
Las Vegas is also vying with San Diego to be the home of MLS’ 30th team.
