Harrah's to build sports arena behind Ballys

[MicroBob]

They have a minor-league hockey team that plays at the Orleans right now.
If this new arena wants to lay down some ice then I'm sure this team could have an interest in playing at the better location.

A city like Las Vegas could draw pretty decently for a minor-league hockey team with a good arena and location. Maybe that would even catch the NHL's eye a bit more.

Gary Bettman might not have the same kind of hang-ups that Stern has. His league is struggling a lot more of course.
Possibility of bringing an NHL team if the arena is there waiting for one? I sure as hell don't know but am just trying to think creatively here.

I think LV already has some arena football already but obviously this could be moved over to the new arena too if they wanted.

And having a higher caliber and newer arena in a city that already brings in a zillion conventions could always work out decently. Thinking the Rodeo championships in December could be moved there if they wanted to.
I don't know how nice the Thomas Mack arena is but I'm assuming it isn't really that impressive which is why they could use a new arena in the first place.

[*TT*]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know how nice the Thomas Mack arena is but I'm assuming it isn't really that impressive which is why they could use a new arena in the first place.

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Its impossible to get to without a car, thats part of the reason why the All Star weekend was such a nightmare. Stern said he wouldn't go back to the T&M.

[MicroBob]

Right. Even if they were able to build all the luxury-suites and all that other cool stuff onto a slightly beat-up Mack Center it obviously doesn't have the best of locations.

An arena right there just a quick walk from the middle of the strip would draw pretty well I would have to think.

I would be really interested to see how that minor-league hockey team would do there.
Harrah's could give away tix as cheap comps, especially to families. etc etc.

I'm also assuming UNLV might be interested in playing there as well as their conference tourney.
And other stuff like NBA-development stuff perhaps and things like the current FIBA tournament.

Not sure if they would be able to land some early-round NCAA tourney games though as that area already gets crazy enough during March Madness time and there's enough paranoia about the sports-betting conflicts as is.

There are so many cities that have fewer uses for a nice arena who built one and then hoped maybe they could land a few concerts to fill the space occasionally through the year.
LV has enough stuff going on that could be a good fit for that arena that I really don't think there's much risk for Harrah's to be building something like this just off the strip even if they never get an NBA team.

[Squareview]

david stern says no. jim rome has asked him a few times.

[SappyMcG]

Vegas seems like a good place to have a basketball team imo...reminds me of LA.

[Oliver Nipples]

At least the refs can play blackjack close by.

[MiltonFriedman]

"reminds me of LA.'

Californication. Damn!

[Dawg24]

David Stern has said several time it will not even be considered as long as gambling on the NBA is legal in NV...so I would say no chance.

[MicroBob]

Las Vegas drew just over 5k fans last year. They also had a really good team that finished first in their division with a record of 46-12-14.

5k fans is pretty good for that level. The capacity for Orleans arena is 7,800.
The league average was 4,100. Stockton led the league with 6,700.
Long Beach was last among the western "National Conference" teams in that league with 2,200 per game.

The top drawing team for the AA level of hockey is Oklahoma City at 8,700 playing in a different league.
OKC naturally plays in the Ford Center which is pretty much an NBA/NHL caliber arena and is much nicer than what most minor-league teams get.
It would be roughly the caliber of arena that Harrah's would be looking to build I imagine.

So if LV could do 5k/gm at their current venue at the Orleans I wonder how much better they could do in an awesome new venue with a better location.

Think of it this way:
If you live in LV now and are only vaguely familiar with this team or when they are playing a game then I suspect they could be doing better. No matter how well they market themselves they're just kind of "that team that plays all the way down there at the Orleans on some weekends."

With a location just off the strip in a dazzling new arena there would be more casual passers-by attending.

Same thing would go for a new location for the Las Vegas 51's baseball team too imo but that's probably not an option.

Another option for the hockey team would be to just play SOME of their games in the new arena and keep the Orleans as their regular home.
The team in Indianapolis as well as a few other teams used to do that although I don't know if they still do.
They would play 80% of their games in the small and old Pepsi Arena which would hold around 5k fans and then would play 5 or 6 games a year at the big Conjelco Arena downtown where the Indiana Pacers NBA also plays.

Anyway, just thinking that this minor-league hockey team would be a good way to get this arena a little boost upon its completion/opening because it doesn't seem THAT likely that they'll just immediately have an NBA team right-away and they would probably like to have SOMETHING that they could put in there.

[pig4bill]

[ QUOTE ]
Vegas seems like a good place to have a basketball team imo...reminds me of LA.

[/ QUOTE ]

You mean if they ever won, they could have riots and torch cars in the streets?