Las Vegas Raiders?

[Vegas Halo Fan]

A report has surfaced this morning that officials from the Oakland Raiders will be visiting Las Vegas soon to look at potential stadium sites.

 

Ralston: Raiders set sights on Vegas for possible home

 

Ralston cites correspondence with UNLV President Len Jessup as his source for the news.

 

According to Jessup's statement on Ralston's blog, the Las Vegas Sands plans to publicly announce its support of a new special events stadium to be built on a 42-acre piece of land recently acquired by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

 

Jessup's statement goes on to say the Oakland Raiders are planning a visit to Las Vegas to assess the area's potential.

Edited January 29, 2016 by Vegas Halo Fan

[Ray McKigney]

The SILVER AND BLACK ATTACK will dominate no matter where they play.

[gotbeer]

The poorest owners of the NFL will look to Vegas for handouts.

 

http://www.chatsports.com/nfl/a/How-Much-Is-Each-NFL-Owner-Worth-19465

[mtangelsfan]

Is Vegas and its surrounding suburbs enough to support an NFL team?

[Vegas Halo Fan]

The population of the metropolitan area is two million and change (not counting tourists), so I would say yes.

[Tank]

plus you'd get a lot of people driving in from socal.

[gotbeer]

Is Vegas and its surrounding suburbs enough to support an NFL team?

 

Also, NFL is a heavy travel fanbase.  Vegas seems perfect for that weekend bender these fans do.  Of major sports teams, NFL is probably the easiest for fans since home games is only 8 games a season on the weekend.  So I think it's easy for Vegas to support it. 

 

And if the Raiders move to Vegas.  And by move, being soon.  The NHL will be the fat bridesmaid hoping to catch the bouquet, flailing and missing.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

One thing that would help with traveling fans is an abundance of hotel rooms. That is one issue that made the Super Bowl pretty much a disaster in my home town. Jacksonville is not a tourist destination, and there were not nearly enough hotel rooms in the area for an event of that magnitude. In Las Vegas, no problem - plus it is easy to get here with a lot of air travel options.

Edited January 31, 2016 by Vegas Halo Fan

[Vegas Halo Fan]

And if the Raiders move to Vegas.  And by move, being soon.  The NHL will be the fat bridesmaid hoping to catch the bouquet, flailing and missing.

 

This is a big issue if Gary Bettman screws around with the expansion process. If he waits, he may well be facing at least one established pro team in the area - and it is altogether possible that the Athletics will wind up here as well. A struggling NBA team could move here pretty much immediately, because we are a little more than 60 days from the arena opening. NBA and NHL standards were incorporated into the construction, so the end goal is pretty clear. 

Edited January 31, 2016 by Vegas Halo Fan

[ELEVEN]

One thing that would help with traveling fans is an abundance of hotel rooms. That is one issue that made the Super Bowl pretty much a disaster in my home town. Jacksonville is not a tourist destination, and there were not nearly enough hotel rooms in the area for an event of that magnitude. In Las Vegas, no problem - plus it is easy to get here with a lot of air travel options.

City planners assured the NFL there were enough Walmart parking lots in the greater Jaxunvil area to accomodate overnight guests.

[Ray McKigney]

SILVER AND BLACK ATTACK!

 

[Tank]

Raiders have announced they'll play in Oakland this next season.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

It will be a couple of years before the stadium is ready here, and Sam Boyd Stadium only seats about 35,000, so it wouldn't do even as a temporary home.

[ELEVEN]

Vegas would be almost perfect for the Raiders.

Perfect would be a new stadium shaped like a pirate ship on a giant barge that picked up fans all along the California coast on Saturday and then sailed 12 miles offshore for the rest of the weekend.

[Mark68]

If they get a new stadium in Vegas, you'd have to think they'd have to have a retractable dome like in Phoenix. Cuz I'm sure football players want to play games in 110-degree heat in early September.

[Mark68]

Vegas would be almost perfect for the Raiders.

Perfect would be a new stadium shaped like a pirate ship on a giant barge that picked up fans all along the California coast on Saturday and then sailed 12 miles offshore for the rest of the weekend.

So just expand Treasure Island's "pirate ship".

[Vegas Halo Fan]

There are people in high places locally who believe that this will happen. I'm not sure.

[Jason]

Vegas needs more gang members for sure.

[ELEVEN]

Vegas needs more gang members for sure.

Football is all about recruiting.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

The Raiders ownership team has already been to town to check out the stadium site and talk to higher ups around town. No idea what was discussed or with whom.

[Tank]

Let's hope they liked what they saw.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

Local officials have been reluctant to discuss specifics, other than to say that the visit "went well". The stadium will be built with or without the Raiders, but with would give more incentive to move as quickly as possible.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

Posted on one of the local news anchors' Facebook page.

 

[gotbeer]

Local officials have been reluctant to discuss specifics, other than to say that the visit "went well". The stadium will be built with or without the Raiders, but with would give more incentive to move as quickly as possible.

 

That's interesting that the stadium would be build no matter what.  Then again, they built the hockey stadium with no team.  But the proximity to the strip just makes it a big concert hall/dedicated performer like Celine/Britney if the pro team falls through. 

 

I think they said it will be on/near the UNLV campus?  If they are going with no tenant, I'm surprised it isn't being built near the convention center. 

[Vegas Halo Fan]

It will be on the UNLV campus. One reason that UNLV doesn't draw more students to games is that Sam Boyd Stadium is seven miles from campus. There is nothing resembling a game day atmosphere on campus. This is seen as necessary if the team has a chance to be consistently good.