Nevada has been on quite a run lately… at least when it comes to acquiring professional sports teams. Could a Las Vegas NBA team be next on their agenda? I mean, the deal for a baseball team isn’t even a done deal. And yet, here we are discussing it.
Yes, after being awarded an NHL expansion team a few years ago, and taking every professional sports team the city of Oakland had to offer, all eyes turn to basketball. After all, there have already been rumors of a Las Vegas NBA expansion team… and that LeBron James could be a potential owner!
Now, n investment firm specializing in sports and entertainment has released plans for a 66-acre entertainment center in Sin City. The complex would be home to a state-of-the-art basketball arena, designed to host a professional basketball team.
Oak View Group plans to build the complex with a huge $10 billion budget. As such, their CEO Tim Leiweke made it clear that this project would not need any public funding, which was a major point of contention for the baseball stadium. This new basketball stadium could easily become the home of a Las Vegas NBA franchise.
“I think it helps when you walk into a room and say to them, ‘I do not need your money,’” Leiweke said last month.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver recently announced that the league would explore expansion opportunities once it finalizes its upcoming media rights agreement. The current deal with ESPN and Disney is set to expire following the 2024-25 season, paving the way for potential expansion teams.
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