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MATT AGUIRRE/LAS VEGAS RAIDERSALLEGIANT STADIUMAllegiantStadium:MATT AGUIRRE/LAS VEGAS RAIDERSLas Vegas Welcomes itsFirst NFL Team to its GleamingNew StadiumAdding World-ClassEntertainmentto Las VegasRising out of the desert sun is thesleek, black Allegiant Stadium, hometo the Las Vegas Raiders and theUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).Affectionately named by Raiders fansas the “Death Star,” the 1.98 billion,65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium wasdesigned to resemble a sports car.Allegiant Stadium is the culminationof a 30-year journey for the Raiders tohave their own home. When the teamplayed in Oakland and Los Angeles,they were a stadium tenant. WithAllegiant Stadium, the team has beenable to create a stadium that matchestheir expectations for the players andthe fans.Built on 62 acres at the south end ofthe Las Vegas Strip, Allegiant Stadiumcompletes the Las Vegas skyline, looking like an exclamation point at thebottom of the Strip. With the stadium’slanai doors open, fans can feel they’rea part of the Strip, as opposed to beingacross the highway.MANICA ARCHITECTUREChoosing the Ideal SpotAUGUST 31- SEPTEMBER 6, 2020SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONISPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL Once the Raiders determined LasVegas would be their new home, theteam set out to find the ideal location.“We looked at 11 sites in Las Vegas,”said Tom Blanda, the Raiders seniorvice president of stadium development and operations. The team lookedas far north as the Las Vegas MotorSpeedway and south along the I-15corridor.“We were amazed this location wasstill available and we were able to getit,” said Marc Badain, president of theLas Vegas Raiders.Allegiant Stadium is just west of I-15,closest to Mandalay Bay and the Luxoron the south end of the Strip.“We can be part of the Las VegasStrip without causing the inordinateinconvenience of having 65,000 people leaving the building at the sametime causing a traffic jam on the Strip,”said Blanda.SEE ALLEGIANT, PAGE 2A1A
ALLEGIANT STADIUMALLEGIANT, FROM PAGE 1A“For the customer, you have150,000 hotel rooms and every entertainment possibility right next door,”said Badain. “Las Vegas has gonefrom the ‘Entertainment Capital of theWorld’ to the ‘Sports andEntertainment Capital of the World.’”“With its proximity and striking viewsof the world famous Las Vegas Strip,Allegiant Stadium will be, withoutquestion, a best-in-class venue thatwill both attract and impress localsand tourists alike,” said BrianKillingsworth, chief marketing officer ofthe Vegas Golden Knights.Sports Car or Death StarAn Enclosed Roof, butan Open-Air FeelWhile UNLV wanted to play on anartificial surface, the Raiders wantednatural grass. To accommodate bothteams, Allegiant Stadium has an artificial surface for UNLV games and yearround use. But, for Raiders game days,a four-foot deep grass field tray willslide into the stadium, giving theRaiders a natural grass surface.“There are only two other stadiumsin the world that have a retractablefield,” said Thornton, “State FarmStadium in Arizona and TottenhamHotspur Stadium in the U.K. We wereable to take advantage of lessonslearned from both of them.”Powered by 72 individual motors, ittakes the 19-million pound field tray90 minutes, 13 feet per minute, to berolled by 540 wheels on 13 railsthrough the 14’ x 240’ “mail slot” intothe stadium from its exterior growthposition at Model Tailgate Zone. Tomake room for the grass tray to enterthe building, 22 retractable columnsmust first be pivoted and rotated upabout six to eight feet. Once the trayLocated in the desert where theaverage temperature ranges from 60to 96 degrees during football season,it was important for Allegiant Stadiumto be air conditioned. When facedwith the decision to have a completely covered stadium or a retractable roof, the Raiders opted for theformer. But, to maintain the open feel,the team chose an opaque ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) roof. ETFE isa fluorine-based plastic.“Retractable roofs create a hardshade line,” said Blanda, “and wedidn’t want a hard shade line movingacross the field as the sun movesacross the horizon. An opaque ETFEroof shows the sun tracking across thesky, but doesn’t cause fans to squintas they look up towards the footballaction. Even in the middle of the day,they’re not going to need sunglasses.”Even though it’s opaque, AllegiantStadium’s ETFE installation is the darkest in the world.“Allegiant Stadium is one of only afew of its type from a structural and amain entrance, which contains a55,000-square foot plaza that housesthe Al Davis Memorial Torch.Known as the Coors Light Landing,the plaza includes a circular bar thatsurrounds the torch, a Silver Rush concession stand and Raider Image merchandise pop-up shops. There arealso social media moments andphoto opportunities.The peristyle opens to the LasVegas Strip through four lanai doorsthat are 80 feet tall and span 215feet. The largest doors in the city provide stunning views of the Strip andgive the stadium an open feel. Whilethey’ll be closed most of the time tosave energy, the doors could be openabout 800 hours a year for gamesand major events. Weather is a keydetermining factor for the doors’ status. They must be closed when thewind reaches 25 miles per hour.“There’s a spectacular view of the LasVegas skyline at night through theopen lanai doors,” said Nichols. “It’sdefinitely the stadium’s beauty shot.”Honoring the Raiders’ previousowner, the Al Davis Memorial Torch isAllegiant Stadium offers spectacular views of the Las Vegas Strip, with Mandalay Bay, Luxor,Excalibur and the MGM Grand standing prominently in the background.In actuality, design architect DavidManica of Manica Architecture envisioned the exterior to look like a sportscar. “It started with the sports car concept and, if you look at the lines, youcan start to sense the dashboard andthe sports car feel,” said CharlieThornton, executive vice president atCAA Icon, which served as the Raidersowner’s representative. “That sportscar concept was the driving iconicconcept for the look of the building.”Black Glass Reflects theSurrounding EnvironmentThe exterior of Allegiant Stadium iscomprised of 7,400 black glass andmetal panels that form a sleek glasscurtain wall. Encircled with 7,865 feetof an aesthetic white light ribbon, thebuilding has a fluid aerodynamic lookthat gives it that sports car feel.The black glass has a reflectivequality that helps Allegiant Stadiumblend into its surrounding environmentby displaying the area behind.Depending on where someone isstanding, the building could reflectthe Las Vegas Strip, Red Rock Canyonor Mount Charleston.2Ais through the mail slot, the columnsare returned to their spots, re-establishing full and positive contact to support the weight of the sections above.Confirmation panels inform the staffthe supports have reached fullcontact.“The building was designed tocarry the weight of the stadium withthe columns up,” said Lanson Nichols,professional sports architecture director, vice president for HNTB, the stadium’s architect of record. “There weresome unique engineering challengesto make this happen.”A service trench runs the width ofthe field underneath the stadium sostaff can conduct regular maintenance and repairs on the tray.“We spent a tremendous amountof time in Phoenix talking to Cardinals’staff about what worked and whathasn’t worked with their tray, as well asdiscussing maintenance,” saidNichols. “We benefited from theirexperiences and developed anupgraded version of the tray.”SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONMATT AGUIRRE/LAS VEGAS RAIDERSMICHAEL CERDEIROS/LAS VEGAS RAIDERSIn many of the pictures taken whileAllegiant Stadium was under construction, it resembled the Death Star fromthe “Star Wars” movies, leading fans togive the building a new nickname.“Fans started creating some greatcontent between Raiders clips and’Star Wars’ clips,” said Badain. “It tookon a life of its own, but it really doeshave a spaceship look to it.”Grass for the Raiders,Turf for UNLVWhen not in use for Raiders games, the sliding grass tray will be outside at Model TailgateZone.roof standpoint,” said Thornton. “Ithasn’t been done very much in theU.S. and we had to bring in a differentsubcontracting community to complete it.”It takes 9.85 miles of wire cable forthe roof’s cable net truss system,which suspends the 107 six-feet tall airinflated ETFE pillows that are stretchedacross the seven-acre opening. Thestructural weight of this cable net trusssystem is about 600 tons. It was constructed on the ground and raised intoplace in what the construction teamcalled the “Big Lift”. “This was one ofthe most challenging aspects of theproject,” said Adam Hardy, projectexecutive for Mortenson McCarthy,the stadium’s general contractors.Paying Homage to the LosAngeles Memorial ColiseumFrom 1982 to 1994, the Raidersplayed in the Los Angeles MemorialColiseum. The venerable stadium isknown for its u-shaped peristyleentrance, which houses the Olympiccauldron. This was the inspiration forAllegiant Stadium’s open peristyle onthe building’s north side, the stadium’sISPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL the largest 3-D printed object in theworld. The Raiders are seeking entryinto the “Guinness Book of WorldRecords” for that classification.Standing 85-feet tall, the torch beginson the stadium’s 100 level and risesup through the 200 level into theCoors Light Landing. The torch’s structure is comprised of carbon fiber andaluminum. In order to have flawlessgeometry on the swooping torch, theteam opted to have it created by 3Dprinting, at a facility in Kansas City,one of only two places in the worldthat could create such a large object.“I would consider the torch a workof art as opposed to an actual construction element,” said Hardy.In a Raiders tradition, every personwho has lit the previous torch inOakland and Los Angeles signed aplaque at the torch’s base. To honorthat history, the plaque has beenmoved from the Oakland Coliseum tobecome part of the memorabilia surrounding the new torch at its base onthe 100 level.SEE ALLEGIANT, PAGE 4AAUGUST 31- SEPTEMBER 6, 2020
ALLEGIANT STADIUMThe Raiders recognizethe Founding Partners ofAllegiant StadiumAUGUST 31- SEPTEMBER 6, 2020SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONISPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL 3A
MANICA ARCHITECTUREALLEGIANT STADIUMSuites in Allegiant Stadium feature a variety of seating options, including bench seating acrossfrom the TV and food service, drink rail seating and bucket seats that overlook the field.ALLEGIANT, FROM PAGE 2AAn Intimate SettingRaiders fans have a reputation forbeing loud. To help create a loud,home-team friendly atmosphere, theteam wanted the fans close to theaction. The design team delivered, asthe closest seats are only 24 feet fromthe field.“For fans at the top of the stadium,it doesn’t feel like you’re in the upperdeck,” said Badain. “It still feels likeyou’re pretty close to the action.4AThere’s not a bad seat in thestadium.”Premium Spaces OfferLas Vegas-style HospitalityWith 8,000 club seats, 127 suitesand eight clubs reserved for premiumtickets, Allegiant Stadium has a widevariety of options to serve Raiders fansand concertgoers. The majority ofsuites hold 16 to 22 seats. But thesuites in the south end zone have adivider that can be removed, turningthem into doubles that can accommodate 40 to 48 people. Additionally,SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONthe Raiders created 88 four-personloge boxes on the sidelines of the 200level for companies that don’t needas many seats. In the north end zone,Allegiant Stadium features a field levelclub, an optional food-and-beverage-driven add-on experience forticket holders looking for another funand exciting way to enjoy events in an“only Vegas” way.Las Vegas offers some of the finesthospitality in the country and AllegiantStadium had to deliver a similar, if notbetter, experience. For fans in the clubseats, this includes the option to ordertheir food and beverage via the teamand stadium’s mobile app.“When you come to a market likeLas Vegas, you have to deliver a customized experience,” said Badain.“We conducted a lot of research andlearned people wanted an all-inclusive product. They didn’t want to buy asuite and then have to pay for ticketsand food individually.”So the Raiders created an all-inclusive suite package. For one price, fansreceive tickets and food and beverage for all Raiders games, along withall concerts and public events. UNLVsold suites separately from theRaiders. “Suite holders get access toall events, whether we have 20 or100,” said Badain.However, for 50 of the suites, suiteholders have the option of buyingUNLV games as well. So they don’tISPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL Economic Summary 620 million I annualeconomic impact 450,000 I annualincremental visitors 708,400 I annualincremental room nights 18,711 I constructionemployment 5,982 I permanent jobs 38,500 I average annualwage of new jobsFiscal (Revenue)Summary 12.5 million I stategeneral fund revenue 22.5 million I localgovernment revenue 13.4 million I state andlocal education fundinghave to share the suite with anothercompany, if they choose not to buyUNLV tickets, the suite remains dark forthose games.An additional benefit for suite holders is the ability to use the stadium onnon-game and non-event days.“There are many large companiesSEE ALLEGIANT, PAGE 5AAUGUST 31- SEPTEMBER 6, 2020
MATT AGUIRRE/LAS VEGAS RAIDERSALLEGIANT STADIUMAllegiant Stadium is ready for its first Raiders game.ALLEGIANT, FROM PAGE 4Awith either a footprint here physicallyor are here multiple times a year forindustry conventions,” said Badain.“Thousands of their clients, customersand employees come to town andthis gives them an area where theycan entertain those clients. We anticipate robust usage of the building onnon-traditional, non-game days fromthose companies.”To meet the high hospitality expectation, the Raiders are providinghigher staffing levels, along withupscale and distinct food selectionsfor their all-inclusive patrons. Thisincludes celebrity wine pairings andcelebrity chefs — including EmmyAward winners Michael Symon andGuy Fieri, both regulars on the FoodNetwork.“We can’t control the outcome ofa game or event, but we can alwayscontrol the guest experience,” saidBlanda. “Our commitment to the fanexperience begins with a four-hourstadium orientation known as ‘ThePlaybook’ that every teammate,whether full-time or part-time, willthe story has justparticipate in. It creates a stadiumwide sense of accountability to theguest experience.”The Best in Silver andBlack HospitalityWorking with the stadium’s concessionaire, Levy Restaurants, the Raiderscreated Silver and Black Hospitality,which will represent every element ofhospitality for the stadium and theRaiders brand.“Every aspect of Silver and BlackHospitality was custom designed forAllegiant Stadium, based on the highbar of hospitality expected in LasVegas,” said Brandon Doll, Raiderssenior vice president of strategy andbusiness development. “But we’re alsopaying homage to Raiders’ traditionsreminiscent of our history in Oaklandand Los Angeles.”To accommodate the needs of65,000 fans, Allegiant Stadium provides 136 concession stands, including 83 portable units, along with 95soda towers that contain 752 sodataps.SEE ALLEGIANT, PAGE 6ACongratulations to the Las Vegas Raiders, Manica Architecture,HNTB Architects, Mortenson-McCarthy, Kimley Horn, Arup, SmithSeckman Reid, Inc., and the entire project team on the opening ofAllegiant Stadium. CAA ICON is proud to be a part of this incredibleproject, and we look forward to the exciting season ahead!Project ManagementFeasibility & PlanningStrategic Advisorywww.caaicon.com Matt Aguirre Las Vegas RaidersAUGUST 31- SEPTEMBER 6, 2020SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONISPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL 5A
ALLEGIANT STADIUM Architect of Record: HNTB Design Architect: ManicaArchitecture Project Manager: ICONVenue Group General Contractor:Mortenson McCarthy Concessionaire: LevyRestaurants Operations Contractor: ASMGlobal aming Rights Partner:NAllegiant AirFounding Partners America First Credit Union Caesars Entertainment Coors Light Cox Credit One Bank Ford Intermountain Healthcare Modelo MGM Resorts Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling San Manuel Casino TwitchALLEGIANT, FROM PAGE 5AIn determining the food selectionsto offer in the stadium, the Raiders surveyed the fans to understand theirpreferences. As a result, the teamindexed areas of the stadium by preference for select food options, making sure specific stands for food likeburgers and pizza were near the fansthat preferred those options.“We worked hard to match preferences with offerings,” said Doll, “downto the section level. We mapped theentire stadium from a food and beverage standpoint to be optimized andmatched to fan preferences.”The Raiders are offering severalregional dishes to meet the diversetastes of fans in Las Vegas, includingMexican cuisine with an Americantwist, a barbecue Mexican conceptand craft burgers with an Asian touch.The team is also partnering with former players, including Bo Jackson,who has a line of signature foods andwill be offering his tri-tip sandwich.Tapping into the team’s history inOakland, the stadium featuresCasper’s Gourmet Hot Dogs andBrown Sugar Kitchen. AllegiantStadium offers everything from sushiand barbacoa to poke tacos andGerman-style bratwurst.“Las Vegas has something foreveryone and we wanted to create amini version of that in the stadium,”MANICA ARCHITECTUREProject PrincipalsThe wide concourses in Allegiant Stadium will give the 65,000 fans at Raiders games plentyof room to navigate the stadium.said Doll. “Raider Nation is incrediblydiverse, so we reflect that and aremindful and thoughtful of that in ourofferings. When people walk throughour concourses, Mark Davis wantsthem to feel like they’re walking downthe Strip.”While there are high end andunique food choices at the stadium,the Raiders are also offering six of thetop-selling traditional stadium itemsfor 3 each. This includes hot dogs,pretzels, popcorn, peanuts, chips andsoda. “We wanted to make sure wehave affordable options,” said Doll,“but they will also be of high quality.”Taking advantage of local foodproduction, the Raiders are sourcingproduce within a 250-mile radius ofthe stadium. The team will also beleveraging local bread and pastry, aswell as other nearby providers.A Sign of the Times —Completely CashlessWhile there have been stadiumsand arenas across the country thathave been converted to a cashlessoperation, Allegiant Stadium will bethe first stadium in North America toSEE ALLEGIANT, PAGE 7AIt’s more thana stadium12,000 individuals6 million worker hoursworld-class safety recordWe are proud to share thisamazing destination with theLas Vegas communityfor years to comePhoto Credit: Cashman Paul Stocum6ASPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONISPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL AUGUST 31- SEPTEMBER 6, 2020
MATT AGUIRRE/LAS VEGAS RAIDERSMATT AGUIRRE/LAS VEGAS RAIDERSALLEGIANT STADIUMALLEGIANT, FROM PAGE 6Aopen cashless. The Raiders have beenexploring this option with Levy andtheir analytics firm, E15, throughoutthe construction process.“Speed of service is critically important,” said Doll. “Mark Davis doesn’twant fans waiting in line. He wantsthem in their seats enjoying the game.Cash-free transactions have proven tobe significantly faster.”For fans that don’t have credit ordebit cards, Allegiant Stadium hasreverse ATMs, in which fans can insertcash and receive a debit card for thesame amount of money they put inthe machine. There are no fees associated with the cards and they canbe used both inside the stadium andoutside the venue at any merchantthat accepts major credit or debitcards.Accommodating Two TeamsKnowing the building was to beused by both an NFL and NCAA team,the architects designed AllegiantStadium to easily accommodate theneeds of both the Raiders and UNLV.AUGUST 31- SEPTEMBER 6, 2020The home side of the stadiumincludes both the Raiders and UNLV’slocker rooms, while the visitor side hasa locker room that’s interchangeableto NFL and collegiate teams. The visiting locker room can be divided intosmaller locker rooms to accommodate more teams and personnel.“As a program with lofty goals,we’re ecstatic about the completionof Allegiant Stadium,” said MarcusArroyo, UNLV’s head football coach.“This is a world-class facility and welook forward with excitement to givingour players, our fans and the entireUNLV family the opportunity to enjoy afirst-class college football experience.There simply is no equal to our newstadium and we’re working hard nowso that we build a lasting legacy ofsuccess worthy of our new home.”With signage predominately electronic, it’s possible to have a UNLVgame on Saturday and turn the building over to host a Raiders game onSunday.“Allegiant Stadium will be a catalystfor the momentum we’re seeing withour football program,” said DesireeReed-Francois, director of athletics atUNLV. “When you consider the world’sSPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONfinest stadium going online as our newhome, after also opening the state-ofthe-art Fertitta Football Complex oncampus, welcoming a record-settingrecruiting class and the energy andpreparation Coach Arroyo and hisstaff bring every day, you see that thefuture is unquestionably bright for UNLVfootball.”The Most ConnectedStadium in the NFLThrough Cox Business’ HospitalityNetwork, one of Allegiant Stadium’sfounding partners, the stadium hasthe fastest optical internet serviceavailable.To keep every mobile device in thevenue connected at all times,Allegiant Stadium has more than1,800 Wi-Fi access points operatingon 802.11ax, or Wi-Fi 6. The underseat design gives the stadium therobust and dense coverage thatleads to a great, connected experience. Additionally, 227 miles of fiberpower two 40 GB redundant diverserings that enter the building and connect to the stadium’s core network.“We have the most robust dataISPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL system, the most connected stadiumin the league,” said Badain.“We used the most advanced systems available today,” said Jady West,vice president of hospitality at CoxBusiness’ Hospitality Network. “Everymajor technology function has beendesigned not only for today’sdemands, but with the future in mind.The stadium network was designed tohandle the requirements for this multiuse environment over a multi-yeartimeframe.”The stadium features 2,200 CiscoVision dynamic screens, with 1,300screens carrying additional Cox videocontent, dedicated to enhancing thefan experience. The building’s largestinterior board, on its south side, is 254’x 49’. The north side features two 122’x 49’ screens on either side of the peristyle opening. The north end also hastwo smaller, 33’ x 18’ auxiliary screensbelow the main screens for gamescores, game stats and fantasy stats.Cox Business’ professional servicesmanage the video screens and willprovide a team of engineers, technicians and an operator onsite for everySEE ALLEGIANT, PAGE 8A7A
ALLEGIANT STADIUMPartnering with the LVCVAThe LVCVA, the county’s officialdestination marketing organization,plays a large role in helping to bringevents to Allegiant Stadium.“We work closely with them onalmost every event,” said Badain.“They know the business, they knowthe city and they know what they canoffer. Their job is to put heads in bedsand Allegiant Stadium will help bringannual wage of 38,500.The stadium is projected to generate 22.5 million in local tax revenueand 12.5 million in state tax revenue.Additionally, the stadium should produce 13.4 million in local and statefunding for education.Keeping Naming Rightsat HomeIn 2019, Allegiant Air, headquartered in Las Vegas, signed on as thestadium’s naming rights partner. Thedeal gives the company, which doesnot sell tickets on travel sites such asExpedia and Kayak, a highly visibleplatform to raise awareness amongits customers and potential customers. More than 60 percent of thecompany’s customers and prospectsthat live in markets Allegiant servesare NFL fans.“It’s good for Allegiant,” saidBadain. “They’re more than an airline;they’re a travel company and they’reMANICA ARCHITECTUREevent. “Our professional services coupled with the robust technology is thebest in class in this industry,” said West.While the screens are able todeliver content in 4K, the Raiders willbe using HDR technology for its widercolor spectrum. All screens are zonedand composited, giving the team theability to partition them for multipleuses. “The screens are customizableand have a ton of power,” saidBadain. “During testing, we only used40 to 50 percent of their power.”The video screen on the outside ofthe stadium, facing I-15, is the largestfreestanding sign in Las Vegas. At345’ x 80’, the sign encompasses27,600 square feet. Made of mediamesh, a metallic woven fabric/mesh with thin LED lights placedwithin the mesh, the sign does notinterfere with the view from people inthe stadium looking out.southern Californians and the rest ofthe country (and world). This includesabout 8,300 season tickets purchasedby former season ticket holders inOakland. The broader Raider Nationbought a small bucket of tickets. Infact, there are season ticket holdersfrom all 50 states (plus the District ofColumbia and Puerto Rico), Canada,Mexico, Great Britain, Spain andAustralia.Every season ticket was sold with aone-time personal seat license (PSL)that ranged in price from 500 to 75,000 depending on the seat’slocation. Originally, third-party consultants estimated the PSLs would generate 250 million in revenue. But withthe overwhelming response fromRaider Nation, the team earned 550million from its PSL program.“The anticipation for the openingof Allegiant Stadium is palpable,” saidKillingsworth. “The Vegas GoldenKnights are excited to welcome theCEO and president of the Las VegasConvention and Visitors Authority(LVCVA). “Now the world’s largest andhighest profile events will be in LasVegas.”Garth Brooks is expected to holdthe first major concert at the stadiumon February 27, 2021. “In a goodsummer, there will be about five stadium concert tours traveling the country,” said Doll. “But with all the cancellations happening this summer, nextyear should be a great touring year.”MICHAEL CLEMENS/LAS VEGAS RAIDERSALLEGIANT, FROM PAGE 7AAllegiant Stadium features the largest freestanding sign in Las Vegas.An Allegiant Air plane flies over Allegiant Stadium in the night sky.All-star EventsRaiders to Las Vegas and togethercontinue to set the standard for worldclass entertainment.”In addition to Raiders and UNLVgames, Allegiant Stadium is expectedto host a strong line-up of sportsevents and concerts starting in 2021.Sports events already confirmedinclude the 2021 Pac-12 FootballChampionship Game; the 2021 LasVegas Bowl, featuring a Pac-12 teamagainst a team from the Big TenConference; and the 2021 NFL ProBowl.Other sports events that mayappear on the schedule include neutral site collegiate football games,international soccer, rugby, UFC andboxing.“We missed the window to bid onthe Super Bowl, college footballchampionship and Final Four,” saidBadain. “They’ve been scheduled outfour to six years. But we’ll bid on thoseevents in the next round. This buildingwill be busy.” In total, AllegiantStadium is projected to host 46 largepublic and private events a year.“In addition to serving as home tothe Las Vegas Raiders and UNLV football, the stadium also gives us theability to welcome events that mayhave previously been out of reachbecause we simply didn’t have theappropriate venue,” said Steve Hill,8Anew events, which helps bring moretourism dollars.”“The exposure and awareness ofthis destination that will be generatedby coverage of Las Vegas Raidershome games and other specialevents will be incredible,” said Hill. “Thestadium itself has an iconic designthat is so well suited to both the teamand its new location adjacent to theLas Vegas Strip. It’s an important addition to our skyline – a part of Vegas’identity for decades to come. And thenorth-facing retractable doors showcasing the Al Davis Memorial Torchlooking out over the Strip is perfect forproviding a truly Only-in-Vegas view forfans in the stands, as well as thosewatching on TV.”Pent-up DemandFootball fans in Nevada havebeen longing for an NFL team foryears. When the Raiders started sellingseason tickets in March 2018, fanswere ready to buy. By January 2020,the team had completely sold out ofits 55,000 season ticket allotment.Accounting for the team’s twohome states, 60 percent of seasontickets were purchased by southernNevadans, with the balance evenlysplit between northern Californians,SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONSharing the CostAllegiant Stadium was fundedthrough a public/private partnership.The Raiders paid 1.23 billion, with thestate responsible for the remaining 750 million. However, visitors to thecity will pay most of the public portion.Due to legislation enacted by thestate of Nevada, the public portion isbeing funded by a 0.88 percent hoteltax increase.The Raiders covered its 1.23 billion share through three sources — (1) 200 million from the NFL’s G4 program for teams embarking on newstadium projects, (2) 550 million fromPSLs and (3) 453 million that was privately funded by the Raiders.Economic ImpactWhile Allegiant Stadium cost 1.98billion to build, it is projected to havean annual economic impact of 620million, attracting 450,000 annualincremental visitors who will use708,400 annual incremental roomnights. Additionally, about 6,000 newpermanent incremental jobs will becreated that will have an averageISPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL bringing people to this destination. It’sgood for this community that a localcompany has its name on this community asset. And it’s good for theteam because of the number ofevents that will be held at the stadium. Allegiant has one of the bestdatabases in the industry. When wehave concerts and other events, theycan reach out to their customer database and fly them in. There are manysymbiotic pieces to this relationship.”Getting to the StadiumThe city of L
sleek, black Allegiant Stadium, home to the Las Vegas Raiders and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Affectionately named by Raiders fans as the “Death Star,” the 1.98 billion, 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium was designed to resemble a sports car. Allegiant Stadium i
