Las Vegas Mayor Proposes Downtown Arena Sites to Avoid Strip Traffic

On April 2, Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley proposed downtown arena sites as alternatives for a potential NBA expansion franchise, formally entering the city into a competition that has so far centered on the Las Vegas Strip and surrounding unincorporated Clark County.

Berkley outlined the proposals during a press conference at City Hall and said she plans to make her pitch directly to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in a Zoom call scheduled for the following week. She said she intends to invite Silver to tour the sites in person the next time he visits the city.

"We have an alternative, and I'd like to propose it to them to see if they would even come down and see it for themselves," Berkley said. "Right across the street [from City Hall], there's 20 acres near the [World] Market Center. It's near a freeway. It won't be as congested on the Strip."

The proposed sites include a parking lot across from City Hall owned by The Plaza and the north parking lot of the World Market Center, owned by Blackstone Inc. The announcement came days after the NBA Board of Governors voted to explore expansion into Las Vegas and Seattle, a process expected to yield bids ranging from $7 billion to $10 billion per franchise, with new teams potentially beginning play as early as the 2028-29 season.

MGM Resorts President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle separately weighed in on the arena question, touting the existing T-Mobile Arena, home of the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights, as an NBA-ready option.

"T-Mobile Arena was built for basketball and hockey," MGM CEO Bill Hornbuckle said in a statement. "Our long-standing relationship with the League is a positive one that stretches back many years, and we would welcome the opportunity to work with the NBA on creating an unforgettable fan experience."

Other proposals include the LVXP project on the north side of the Strip between the Sahara and Fontainebleau Las Vegas, a $3 billion potential development near Las Vegas Boulevard and Blue Diamond Road, and a revived Oak View Group bid. Silver has previously signaled Las Vegas as a strong expansion candidate. The city has hosted the NBA Summer League since 2004 and the NBA Cup in-season tournament finals since 2023.

"This is going to be a really important relationship partnership for the next couple of years, in addition to Vegas being the Entertainment Capital of the World, now being the Sports Capital of the world," she said.

The NBA expects to complete its exploration of expansion for Las Vegas and Seattle by the end of the year before deciding whether to move forward.