The city of Las Vegas is exploring the possibility of building a massive new “Mega-Event Center” on the UNLV campus that would rival Cowboys Stadium in regards to its size and excess. The stadium would be able to host a number of major events if it is built, although it’s still in the development phase right now and hasn’t been approved.
Proponents of the stadium plan have floated the possibility of the NFL bringing the Pro Bowl or preseason games to the new stadium as possible events that could generate nearly $400 million in money for the city.
One little problem remains, however, the NFL’s approval.
According to Alan Snel of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the league would likely not consider hosting any events in Las Vegas due to sports gambling.
The league would need to approve Las Vegas as a location of any preseason game to be held in the city. With the NFL still fighting the state of New Jersey with a lawsuit to keep sports gambling out of the Garden State, the league would look pretty hypocritical for looking to host events in Las Vegas.
New York Giants owner John Mara has said he doesn’t believe “there is a chance in the world” the NFL would allow another Super Bowl to be hosted at Metlife Stadium if they fail to win their lawsuit against the state of New Jersey. If the NFL is unwilling to allow one of the most powerful owners in the league to host another Super Bowl in the largest media market in the country because of sports gambling, the thought Las Vegas would be able to host any NFL event is pretty much zero.
Photo via UNLV