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February 03, 2011
Majestic floats Vegas stadium, hints at NBA, NHL teams
Not content with planning an NFL stadium in Los Angeles, AEG Majestic has set its sights on Las Vegas as well, where it is proposing a 40,000-seat domed stadium for the UNLV football team. And, apparently, other uses as well:
The plans also include refurbishing the Thomas & Mack Center, home to the UNLV basketball team. The domed stadium would house the basketball team and UNLV's football team, and be adjustable to seat fewer people for smaller events.
Craig Cavileer, president of the Majestic-owned Silverton casino, said the company has had no material discussions with the NBA, NHL or any other league about putting a team in the new stadium. He said the deal would not hinge on having a professional team in its stadium.
"It'll be ready for that, but it's not contingent on that," Cavileer said.
Good thing it's not, because let's be blunt: Putting an NBA or NHL team in a 40,000-seat stadium is not going to happen, "adjustable" or not. Those leagues have already been through that in the years that teams played in buildings like the Alamodome, and have made abundantly clear that what a condition of approving a team is a state-of-the-art arena, not a retrofitted stadium.
Still, it makes a good selling point for sportswriters slavering for local pro sports to cover. Not that any of them would be that gullible, right?
The stadium wouldn't be able to host an NBA team, but what about the renovated T&M Center? It currently holds an NBA acceptable 18.5k and has been used by them for the All Star Game previously...
Posted by Dan on February 3, 2011 11:27 AM
STORY MISPRINT: Majestic is floating the idea of the stadium at UNLV, NOT AEG. You got the 2nd half of the story right where you mention Majestic & Silverton casino.
Posted by timmytight on February 3, 2011 11:55 AM
Just as a clarification, it is Majestic, the group behind the City of Industry stadium, that is negotiating with UNLV. AEG is the company behind the downtown LA stadium.
Also, I sense some mixed up reporting in the bloomberg piece. I'd presume they're talking about renovating T&M to make it NBA-ready (I don't care how many people that place holds, for a number of reasons it can't handle the NBA) and then building a 40,000 seat dome for UNLV football, the final four, maybe MLS and larger concerts.
Posted by Ben on February 3, 2011 11:56 AM
Ben, the "stadium" would also be hosting basketball. Which is why the renovation of T&M seems odd. Why would you renovate the basketball arena if UNLV basketball is moving next door into the stadium? Unless of course they have designs on an NBA team for one of the two venues...
Posted by Dan on February 3, 2011 11:58 AM
Yes, duh, sorry - my brain thought "Majestic," but my fingers typed "AEG." Apologies, fixing it now.
Posted by Neil deMause on February 3, 2011 12:46 PM
40k seems small for the Final Four, especially if they set up the venue like at Ford Field with the court elevated above the field and sell the whole house. Might be good for the Sweet 16/Elite 8 weekend, but would the Nevada casinos then have to take those games off the board?
Posted by Brian on February 3, 2011 12:56 PM
@Dan That is what I was thinking and that is why I thought that there must have been a mistake in the Bloomberg piece. I'm probably wrong.
@Brian I'm pretty sure that 40K is the established minimum for a final 4. New Orleans only seats about that many when it hosts.
Posted by Ben on February 3, 2011 02:00 PM
Starting with the 2009 FF in Detroit, minimum capacity is 70,000 (with the court in the center of the stadium instead of a half house as before). No way a 40,000 seater in Vegas could get more than a regional.
Posted by Brad on February 3, 2011 06:52 PM