A proposed deal to move the Raiders to Las Vegas will only happen if the Nevada state legislature approves public funding to build a stadium. And a new poll suggests that the legislators’ constituents may not be on board with that.
A KTNV-Rasmussen Reports poll asked likely voters, “Do you favor or oppose the use of up to $500 million in state taxpayer money to help finance a stadium that would bring the NFL’s Raiders franchise to Las Vegas?”
The result was that 60 percent of Nevada voters opposed the idea, and only 28 percent supported it. The stadium proposal did better among residents of Clark County, where Las Vegas is, but only a little better: 55 percent opposed the plan, while 35 percent supported it.
It’s important to note, however, that the wording of the poll could have had an effect on the results: The question didn’t make clear that the proposal is for a tax on hotel rooms to finance the stadium, which means the money would largely be coming from people outside the state.
“The survey question leaves out critical information,” said Las Vegas Sands executive Andy Abboud, one of the proponents of the stadium. “Specifically, the public funding would come from an increase in the hotel tax, which is predominantly paid by those visiting Clark County, not its residents.”
Nonetheless, hotel tax dollars that go toward a stadium are still tax dollars that go toward a stadium. And most Nevada residents are skeptical of that.