Raiders move means anything is possible in Vegas
Las Vegas Events President Pat Christenson talks of “a big hole,” that has prevented the city from enticing top sport and entertainment event.
Now, he says, “That hole has been filled.”
A resort official for more than 35 years, Christenson heads up LVE’s efforts to book events across Las Vegas. With the Raiders initiating the move to build a 65,000-seat stadium, most likely on 63 acres on Russell Road just west of the Strip, some events formerly out of the city’s reach are now in play.
“Beyond just the eight home games for the Raiders, you can book events that any other NFL-type stadium has,” Christenson says. “In Las Vegas, now we can start talking about a Super Bowl, the NCAA BCS Championship game, an expansion of the Las Vegas Bowl. We can even compete in hosting a Final Four now. Before, that was not possible.”
Many events currently staged at antiquated Sam Boyd Stadium, such as the Monster Energy Cup Supercross event, USA Sevens Rugby, exhibition soccer and concert festivals can be showcased in the new stadium. Or, consider the interest about seven years ago in Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather, which was then courted by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones for the then-new Cowboys Stadium. Had a Vegas stadium in Mayweather’s hometown been available, that fight actually might have taken place when both fighters were in their primes.
“What’s important to remember is these events are all cyclical,” Christenson says. “At some point there will be another fight like Mayweather-Pacquiao, and if you need a stadium for it, we have one.”
Christenson considers the new Raiders stadium project the latest evidence of the city’s advancing position as a premiere international tourism destination. T-Mobile Arena will be one year old next month. The Las Vegas Convention Center expansion on the Strip is expected to be completed in 2022.
“We can do anything now that is being done anywhere else,” Christenson says. “The timing is actually great, too, because the stadium opens in three years and we need to work about three years out to book these types of events.”
He asserts that the Raiders’ familiar, swashbuckling logo and image, coupled with the team’s regional position close to Las Vegas, is a perfect fit for the city’s swagger and reputation.
“It’s, ‘What Happens Here, Stays Here,’ teamed with the Silver & Black,’ ” he says. “And there are many Raiders fans in this region already, especially from Los Angeles, so this is a great regional fit. Imagine if, say, the New England Patriots were to move across the country – not that they would move – but it wouldn’t resonate the way the Las Vegas Raiders does. This is the perfect NFL team for this city.”
A TICKET TO RIDE?
The Raiders’ move to Las Vegas raises an inevitable question: Will current Oakland Raiders season ticket holders be given first priority to purchase season tickets for the Las Vegas Raiders? When the Chargers announced their move from San Diego to Los Angeles, the team informed current ticket holders they would have priority access to select seats at the new Los Angeles Stadium at Hollywood Park.
A source familiar with ticket selling for major events in Las Vegas says the Raiders would be wise to make such an offer to Raiders fans holding season tickets in Oakland. Another ticket executive wonders if Las Vegas residents would be upset that out-of-market ticket holders would get first crack at choice seats in a stadium being built, in large part, with $750 million in public money.
But that money is being raised through a room-rate tax to be paid almost entirely by tourists, so …
“If it were me, I’d offer Oakland fans a chance to renew their season tickets in Las Vegas,” one official told me. “I don’t think there would be such a market demand that you would actually be shutting out Las Vegas fans, and it seems the right thing to do for the original Raiders fans.”
‘NEXT STEP IN OUR EVOLUTION’
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority President and Chief Executive Officer Rossi Ralenkotter said in a statement Monday: “It has always been a question of when, not if, Las Vegas would become a major league city. The destination is now home to the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights and is on the verge of welcoming a second major league franchise. Las Vegas is the top destination for high-profile sporting events and NFL is the next step in our evolution … As the Entertainment Capital of the World, it’s a phenomenal opportunity to expand our offerings to include Raider Nation.”
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section, and Fridays in Neon. He also hosts “Kats! On The Radio” Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on KUNV 91.5-FM and appears Wednesdays at 11 a.m. with Dayna Roselli on KTNV Channel 13. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.