Las Vegas Raiders Announce Date for Groundbreaking of New $2B, 65,000 – Seat Stadium on Nov. 13

LAS VEGAS, NV – With the news that the Oakland Raiders National Football League (NFL) team would be picking up their cleats and moving to Las Vegas, the Southern Nevada economic climate – already on an upswing due to a rejuvenated real estate market and business market – has continued on its pathway to recovery and prosperity.

According to updated reports on the news, the Raiders will break ground on their new $2 billion, 65,000-seat stadium on Nov. 13 – a joint-use agreement with the football team of the University of Las Vegas – that recovery is poised to skyrocket as the transplanted NFL team – who won’t be playing in Vegas until at least the 2020 season – has already attracted new businesses and investors who believe that a local professional sporting team will serve as a massive boon to their bottom lines.

In May of this year, the Raiders purchased a 63-acre plot of land situated between Russell Road and Hacienda Avenue, west of Interstate 15. The property, acquired for a whopping $77.5 million, represented a substantial investment and a firm declaration that the NFL team was resolute in their stated goal of making Southern Nevada their new home. Construction has been delayed while the team garners the necessary development agreements with local government, but in the meantime, has secured the services of Mortenson Construction of Minneapolis and Henderson’s McCarthy Building as general contractors, with the two companies already engaged in preparation work on a number of aspects of the property, including clearing and grading the land, removing and bringing in materials, and handling drainage issues as needed.

However, as the needed agreements and permits have taken longer to get than previously anticipated, the ambitious timetable that the Raiders have laid out for completion of the stadium has been reconsidered in the interim; originally they were slated to hold their first kick-off in Las Vegas in 2019, and then 2020, but with work finally to progress this year, reports indicate that even that 2020 date may be seen as unrealistic, especially amid issues which have arisen regarding parking and transportation problems with the new stadium. As a result – and as a safety measure only – it was recently announced that the Raiders were negotiating with the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum Authority for the possibility that they may have to play out the 2020 season in their current stadium before finally moving to Vegas for 2021. However, all involved have stated their intent to have construction completed on-time if at all possible.

At the end of the NFL’s 2015 season, the Raiders boasted a lifetime regular-season record of 444 wins, 397 losses, and 11 ties; their lifetime playoff record currently stands at 25 wins and 18 losses. The popular team’s move to Las Vegas is expected to provide a boost to the local economy, which is expected to create a ripple effect that will be felt throughout many of Las Vegas’ many industries- including real estate. Jobs and local wages are both expected to receive a boost; in addition, the amount of tourism to the area is sure to increase as not only will the stadium be host to the Raiders, but also the University of Nevada – Las Vegas football team as well, attracting professional and collegiate football fans of all ages.