Las Vegas officials to attend MLS All-Star Week

By Ben Gotz

Las Vegas Review-Journal

5 years ago

Atletico forward Antoine Griezmann, center, vies for the ball with Barcelona midfielder Arthur, ... — Atletico forward Antoine Griezmann, center, vies for the ball with Barcelona midfielder Arthur, left, and Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet, right, during a Spanish La Liga soccer match in Barcelona, Spain on April 6, 2019. Atletico Madrid will be the opponent for the Major League Soccer All-Star game this summer in Orlando. The 10-time La Liga champions are the second team from the league to play the domestic All-Stars, joining Real Madrid, the opponents in the 2017 game in Chicago. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

A rendering of a proposed downtown Las Vegas soccer stadium. (The Renaissance Companies Inc.)

Las Vegas officials will attend Major League Soccer’s All-Star Week from July 27-31 in Orlando, Fla. as the city attempts to earn an expansion team, but it’s unknown who will be at the event.

MLS announced Monday representatives from Las Vegas, Charlotte, Sacramento, St. Louis and “other potential expansion markets” will be in Orlando as the league attempts to expand from 27 teams to 30.

Las Vegas has two competing proposals for an expansion team. City officials are currently in a 180-day negotiating window that began June 5 to build a new, soccer-specific stadium downtown with project manager The Renaissance Companies Inc., backed by billionaire Seth Klarman.

Golden Knights owner Bill Foley also has talked to MLS about a team that would play in Las Vegas Stadium, future home of the Raiders, or elsewhere.

It is unknown whether officials from one or both proposals will be in Orlando. A MLS spokesman said when asked who will be representing Las Vegas that the league will “have more details soon.” The Renaissance Companies Inc. did not immediately return a request for comment. The Knights did not immediately return a request for comment.

St. Louis and Sacramento are considered the favorites for teams 28 and 29 and St. Louis made a formal presentation Monday to MLS’ expansion committee and league executives in New York City. Representatives from Charlotte also visited MLS’ New York offices Monday.

MLS commissioner Don Garber said Thursday that Las Vegas remains squarely in the mix for a team.

“We at MLS have been very interested in this city for almost 20 years,” Garber said. “We’ve spent time here trying to figure out whether it could be a good future home for an expansion team. We’ve been spending time meeting time with a lot of different folks and spending time meeting with the mayor for many many years and we remain very encouraged.”

Ben Gotz can be reached at bgotz@reviewjournal.com.Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.