Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis meets with Las Vegas officials
Saturday 30 January 2016 12:44, UK
Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis, whose NFL team does not have a stadium lease for next season, met with officials in Las Vegas on Friday about plans for a $1billion domed stadium.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal and ESPN reported the meeting set between Davis, who is looking for a new home for his team, and Sands Corporation chairman and chief executive Sheldon Adelson, who wants to build a 65,000-seat stadium with a combination of taxpayer and private money.
The Raiders had sought a move to Los Angeles but backed off earlier this month as owners approved the St. Louis Rams moving back to Los Angeles while giving the San Diego Chargers an option to join them in LA as part of a new stadium project.
The Raiders would have a chance to join the Rams in LA if the Chargers say no, but with San Diego having up to a year to decide and his team needing some certainty for next season, Davis has spoken to Oakland officials about playing there another year.
He has also been in communication with San Antonio officials about making a move to South Texas, where the Raiders could play in the Alamodome in the short term before constructing a new stadium which would serve as a permanent home.
The University of Las Vegas seeks a new home for its American football squad after years in 35,000-seat Sam Boyd Stadium and would be interested in the new stadium project even without an NFL tenant.
"We are moving forward with the stadium concept with or without an NFL team," Sands senior vice president of government relations and community development Andy Abboud told the Review-Journal.
"We see a lot more opportunities - conference championships, bowl games, NFL exhibition football, boxing, soccer, neutral site games, and music festivals. There is an entire segment out there."
