One of the main points the detractors to the Las Vegas stadium proposal made in recent weeks and months was that there were still many things were still yet to be settled. Being approved by the owners doesn’t mean those concerns were alleviated. There are still some unresolved details one would have thought would need to have been figured out by this point.
Those yet to be worked out details were well laid out by Rick Velota the Las Vegas Review Journal, who cites Las Vegas Stadium Authority analyst Jeremy Aguaro who said among other things that there’s “a ton of work to do” which could take months to be in compliance.
Here are the main things that need to happen according to the report:
■ The authority board has to verify with the NFL that relocation officially has been approved and that the team formally elects to move.
■ The board has to sign off on a development agreement with a qualified partner. The Raiders drive that process, but the board must verify that the developers have the financial wherewithal and expertise to build the stadium. That’s why the announcement about Bank of America being part of the financing was so important for the Raiders.
■ The board also must approve a lease agreement with a stadium events company. That also could be the Raiders, but it also might be a third party that has expertise in managing stadiums and arenas. The Anschutz Entertainment Group’s AEG Live, which in a joint venture with MGM Resorts International operates T-Mobile Arena and also manages the Colosseum at Caesars Palace; Los Angeles-based Live Nation Entertainment; MSG Entertainment, operators of Madison Square Garden and a partner for a future entertainment venue with Las Vegas Sands; and Legends, which operates Yankee Stadium and Jerry Jones’ AT&T Stadium in Dallas are among the big players in event management.
Then there’s the matter of the actual stadium site and details. That means:
Site selection
Stadium capacity
Dome or retractable roof
Lease agreement
Even with all the renderings put out with the stadium, most details on the stadium itself are yet to be determined. What we have now are renderings and cost projections which could change based on many factors.
The Raiders prefer the 63-acre Russell Road site, which is where you see the stadium placed in renderings. But it’s still not for certain that’s where the stadium will ultimately end up.
Other sites still being discussed include Cashman Center complex downtown, and the 67-acre plot north of Blue Diamond Road between Las Vegas Boulevard and I-15.
Then there’s the matter of the stadium specific details including capacity and whether it will simply be a dome or a retractable roof. Up to this point the projection was 65K seats and renderings appear to show a non-retractable roof, with doors that open and close on the north side of the stadium where the Al Davis torch sits. You can see those renderings here.
And the lease agreement is still being negotiated. That’s kind of important.
You can read about all of this in greater detail in the Velotta’s LVRJ piece.
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