Just a few years ago professional sports largely ignored La Vegas. The National Basketball Association plays its summer league in Sin City, but that's mostly players not yet rich enough to get into too much trouble (and the results of the games don't really matter, so betting isn't much of an issue).
When the Supreme Court made sports betting something that any state could opt in to, some of the reasons to avoid Las Vegas went away.
The city, however, still has its fair share of temptations which make it an ideal place for fans watching sporting events, and perhaps still a risky place to hold them. That has not stopped the Golden Knights from moving into T-Mobile Arena, right in the heart of the fabled Las Vegas Strip, walking distance from numerous Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International (MGM) hotels and casinos.
The former Oakland Raiders followed the Golden Knights to Las Vegas. And while their home, Allegiant Stadium is not quite on the strip, National Football League (NFL) games have been a boon for casinos (and not just the ones owned by Caesars and MGM).
Now, Vegas has become a premier sports destination with an NBA-ready arena getting built and the Oakland A's eyeing at least five different properties on or near The Strip for a new stadium.
Las Vegas has already been awarded a Super Bowl, but another massive, global sporting event may beat the NFL to the punch.
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Las Vegas Gets a Super Bowl
Generally, when an NFL team in a major market that has the infrastructure to host a Super Bowl gets a new stadium, the NFL brings a Super Bowl to that city within five years. Vegas certainly has the infrastructure but it never seemed certain the league would put its most-important game -- an event watched by hundreds of millions of people around the world -- in a city famous for its excesses.
The league, however, decided to do exactly that, and Super Bowl LVII will take place at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024.
“From the moment Allegiant Stadium was approved, we knew it was only a matter of time until Las Vegas welcomed the Super Bowl. We couldn’t be happier about today’s announcement,” said Maury Gallagher, chairman of the Las Vegas Super Bowl Host Committee. “Las Vegas does everything bigger and brighter, and this committee is looking forward to creating a uniquely thrilling experience for fans, players, and staff.”
Bigger and brighter most certainly, but maybe not big enough to close down the Strip which an event that could take place as soon as 2023 might do.
F1 Comes to the Las Vegas Strip
Formula 1 or F1 may not be as big in the U.S. as it is around the rest of the world, but it has a massive following. The racing league, which uses open-wheel single-seat cars conducts most of its races on tracks. A few, however, take place on open roads, and a Formula 1 race being announced for Las Vegas, partially taking place on parts of Las Vegas Blvd (the Las Vegas Strip) is imminent, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
"Plans tentatively include drivers racing in and around the Strip, including areas around the Bellagio and further north. Portions of Las Vegas Boulevard would be temporarily shut down to host the race," wrote the Review-Journal's Mick Akers. "Earlier this year that same person noted that the race wouldn’t be a one-time thing and that it’s likely the Las Vegas race becomes F1’s flagship U.S. race."
Because F1 has already planned its 2022 schedule, the earliest a race could take place is 2023 -- beating the Super Bowl.
Caesars did once host an F1 race in its parking lot in the early 80s.
Having an annual F1 race would be a huge driver for Caesars and MGM which control most of the major casino properties on The Strip between them. The race would likely draw an international crowd as well as American F1 fans.
