In its short existence, Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, has cemented itself as one of the top sports venues in North America. It’s the stadium the Las Vegas Raiders call home, but it has also hosted a Super Bowl and will again in 2029.
Allegiant Stadium opened not long ago in 2020, but it sounds like there are already plans to expand. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Raiders are looking for some money to upgrade the venue.
“The Las Vegas Raiders are eyeing improvements to Allegiant Stadium, home of Super Bowl 63,” Schefter wrote on X. “On the agenda later today for the Las Vegas Stadium Authority: a $158 million improvement to the stadium’s North Entry, which will create a new ‘front door’ for the stadium, including a pedestrian deck, public plaza, event deck and other transportation improvements. The Raiders are seeking $75 million from LVSA, which would come from an existing taxpayer fund allocated to Allegiant Stadium-related improvements and will privately fund the remainder.”
While the inside of Allegiant Stadium is state-of-the-art, there isn’t much for fans to do directly outside of it. This would give fans a reason to spend more time in and around the stadium than in the nearby casinos.
More Details on the Project
Allegiant Stadium is one of the main attractions in Las Vegas, so the Raiders likely won’t have a hard time raising the money. The most exciting part of the project is the plaza that the Raiders are trying to build.
Las Vegas Stadium Authority chairman Steve Hill gave some more insight into the plaza.
“It’s a platform that creates a second story off of Hacienda,” Hill told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “Right now, you have to walk all the way down to Hacienda, into the road, into the stadium. This will allow you access to a good portion of Hacienda, so you don’t have to walk all the way down (to Allegiant Stadium Way). … And it’ll be a gathering point; it’ll be pretty significant size.”
Raiders Still Trying to Build Las Vegas Fan Base
The Raiders’ early years in Las Vegas haven’t been good on the field. While the franchise is far more valuable than it was when they were in Las Vegas, people in the city haven’t started to show up for the team.
The main reason for that is the team hasn’t won a lot of games. Outside of a playoff appearance in 2021, the Raiders have been bad. Quarterback Kirk Cousins is still new to the team, but even he knows they haven’t given the fans much of a reason to be invested.
“I tried to look down at the Black Hole every now and then,” Cousins told reporters recently. “A couple of those iconic fans I’ve seen for years from a distance, it’s fun to be part of it now. Just taking it all in, it’s a great stadium, great environment. They’re dying to cheer for us. We’ve got to give them a reason to get out of our seats, so that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Raiders Seeking $75 Million for Major Upgrade: Report