Las Vegas stadiums, arenas look to fill space during pandemic

With sports arenas and stadiums in the Las Vegas Valley set to sit empty without fans for the immediate future, some facilities are looking at ways to use their space outside of game days.

Las Vegas Ballpark, home of the Triple-A baseball Las Vegas Aviators, is offering event deals in various sections of the 10,000-seat facility, which can include indoor or outdoor activities or a combination of both.

The valley’s newest and largest sports venue, Allegiant Stadium, also is set to host special events inside the massive 65,000-seat, $2 billion stadium.

And the Thomas & Mack Center is being used for COVID-19 testing.

Here’s what some area venues are doing to use their space:

Las Vegas Ballpark

The Ballpark is advertising special events for groups of 10 to 25 people, with packages involving the field, the outfield pool, batting cages and private suites.

Event packages start at $1,500, according to the ballpark.

“Given the current restrictions, we’ve had to think out-of-the-box for unique ways that people can still enjoy our amazing Ballpark while following all safety guidelines and protocols,” said Chuck Johnson, general manager and vice president of sales and marketing with Las Vegas Ballpark. “Our team has come up with some innovative, fun, memorable and budget-friendly packages that allow consumers to use our facility in safe and creative ways.”

Packages include:

Batting cage parties for 10-15 guests, which include access to the batting cage and private locker rooms.

Private batting practices with field access, where groups of 10 to 25 people can party in the dugout or outfield.

Pool party for up to 25 people at the ballpark’s outfield pool. The area also includes the adjacent bar, splash pad and grass area.

Suites at the ballpark can be used for various events such as fantasy draft parties. Suites feature three televisions for real time fantasy-casting, slide shows and more.

Las Vegas Ballpark has Wi-Fi connectivity with digital screens and signage throughout that can be used for marketing and branding during an event.

The ballpark’s massive outfield display is one of the largest outdoor screens in professional baseball and can be customized with graphics and video customized to each event.

“The Ballpark is unique in that it’s mainly an outdoor venue positioned off the Las Vegas Strip in an optimal location with scenic views of the Strip to the east and the stunning Red Rock Canyon to the west,” Johnson said. “From intimate team-building gatherings to private batting practices and pool parties, the options at Las Vegas Ballpark are endless and customizable.”

The ballpark also is providing tours of the facility, giving baseball fans a behind-the-scenes look at the 1-year-old stadium. Details on the tours and event hosting can be found on Las Vegas Ballpark’s website.

Allegiant Stadium

There’s no timetable on when events at Allegiant Stadium will start to be booked, as Raiders owner Mark Davis announced this month that no fans will be allowed to attend Raiders games there this season.

Interested parties have 10 event areas to choose from at Allegiant, according to the stadium’s private events LinkedIn page.

Spaces include the field, Modelo Cantina Club and Twitch Lounge, and the club area around the Al Davis Memorial Torch.

The field could be a top choice once larger events are allowed in Nevada since it features 95,000 square feet of event space, with the ability to sit 2,500 people; the two end zones are customizable to feature event-specific branding; and three clubs are directly attached to the field.

While larger special events won’t be able to be held at the stadium just yet, officials plan on allowing group tours of the facility. Plans call for tours of up to 25 people at a time.

Davis said the plan is to still offer tours sometime this year, with the stadium’s website stating they’ll begin in the fall.

“It might be a better way to get to know it,” Davis said last month. “Let them (fans) introduce themselves (to the stadium) and let the stadium introduce it to them, without it being on a game day when there are 65,000 people walking around.”

More information on tours and private events can be found on Allegiant Stadium’s website.

Thomas & Mack Center

The Thomas & Mack Center has sat quiet since the Mountain West basketball tournament in March, as the coronavirus shut down sports shortly thereafter.

With the NBA pushing its season into the summer, the annual NBA Summer League was not held in July this year.

With no games taking place, UNLV has opened the doors to Thomas & Mack to allow COVID-19 tests to be administered. Clark County, University Medical Center and the Nevada National Guard are operating the site in conjunction with UNLV. Testing formerly occurred on the parking garage just outside the arena.

“The new indoor operation will allow us to move out of the summer heat into a more comfortable setting for patients,” said Clark County Commission Chairwoman Marilyn Kirkpatrick in a statement.

Testing is offered from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays at the Strip View Pavilion at the arena. Appointments can be made at UMC’s website. Walk-up testing is offered, but the limited slots are open on a first-come, first-served basis.

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.