Dive Brief:
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Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval has called a special session of the state legislature to be held on Monday, Oct. 10, so that lawmakers can vote on whether to help fund a $1.9-billion football stadium in Las Vegas, a move that would likely ensure the relocation of the Oakland Raiders to that city, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
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If approved by legislators, hikes in the Clark County, NV, hotel room tax would finance $750 million of the 65,000-seat stadium's construction costs, as well as an expansion of the existing convention center. The Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee has already approved the measure.
- Sandoval is a supporter of the stadium deal and said it would provide southern Nevada with a much-needed, large-scale entertainment facility.
Dive Insight:
The stadium would also play host to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas football team, and it is a project that casino company Las Vegas Sands Corp. had been pushing before the Raiders entered the picture, which was not long after the team was denied a move to Los Angeles by NFL owners last January. If the state legislature OKs financing $750 million of the $1.9 billion stadium proposal, the Sands Corp. and the Raiders would make up the difference with $650 million and $500 million, respectively.
Team representatives have previously told the SNTIC that the Raiders would not move to Las Vegas if the state failed to contribute toward the stadium's construction. If legislators do not approve the room tax increase in Monday's vote, the Raiders will likely either explore other locations or try to negotiate for a new stadium in Oakland.
Of course, the whole deal hinges on whether NFL owners approve the Raiders move to Las Vegas at their January meeting. The league has never been keen on placing an NFL franchise in a city with so much gambling, but NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told CBS Sports last month that he would not prevent relocation to Las Vegas. In August, the Raiders released renderings of the MANICA Architecture–designed venue and revealed that they had narrowed the future site down to two possible locations.