Nevada Governor Approves NFL Stadium Bill

At the start of this week, Nevada’s Republican governor gave the thumbs up for a NFL stadium to be built in Las Vegas in order to accommodate the Oakland Raiders. Gov. Brian Sandoval gave his final approval after signing the specific bill into law, but the team’s owner, Mark Davis, still requires the National Football League to rubber stamp the decision before the move to Las Vegas can finally go-ahead.
The building of a 65,000-seat stadium in Las Vegas is expected to cost around $1.9 billion, and amongst the many anticipated benefits of the project is an estimated 451,417 more tourists each year, as well as a 1.4% increase in hotel tax collections around the area, worth around $750 million for the state.
Last Friday, the Nevada Assembly voted in favor of Senate Bill 1 by a margin of 28-13, and the following Monday a whole host of people turned out to see Sandoval sign off on the bill, including Raiders fans, cheerleaders, and a marching band. Construction workers also turned out to the celebratory signing ceremony in force, with the Laborers Union having previously thrown their support fully behind the project which is expected to create 25,000 jobs for its employees.
In the meantime, billionaire casino owner Sheldon Adelson has pledged to put $650 million towards the stadium’s construction costs, with the Raiders and the NFL expected to provide a further $500 million. Nevertheless, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf seems determined to make sure the NFL franchise does not leave her city, and as she commented this week:
“The final decision about where the Raiders play in the future will be made by the league and its owners. Like so many of the team’s diehard fans, I believe the Raiders and Oakland have a shared identity and destiny, and keeping the team in Oakland where they were born and raised has immeasurable value to the fans, the team, the league and the city.”