360 Video: What the New Raiders Stadium Means for Meeting Planners

Just west of the Las Vegas Strip, you’ll likely hear the unmistakable sounds of an active construction site. That construction site will soon transform into a new, ultramodern facility ripe for meetings and events—another space in Las Vegas for planners looking to host attendees.

We’re talking about the new stadium for the Raiders, the NFL team given approval in March 2017 to relocate from Oakland, California, to Las Vegas.

Las Vegas Stadium (a working name) broke ground in November 2017 and is expected to be complete by 2020, with the Raiders playing their first NFL season there in 2020-2021. The 10-level, domed stadium holds 65,000 seats, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

“The impact of having the Raiders come to Las Vegas—there aren’t a whole lot of cities who have an NFL team, so it’s a really big deal for us in this community,” said Jeremy Aguero, principal analyst with Las Vegas research firm Applied Analysis. The firm has been involved with the project from the beginning, helping guide the stadium proposal through the Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee and Nevada Legislature.

Watch the 360 video interview below for more exclusive Las Vegas Stadium insights.
[Editor's Note: Use your mouse, touchpad or finger to move the camera around].

The stadium—a nearly $1.9 billion project, including $750 million in public funding—will host, in addition to the Raiders, the Las Vegas Bowl, a college football event that features a team from the Pac-12 Conference vs. a team from either the SEC or Big 10 Conference.

What the Stadium Means for Meeting Planners

A number of other events are being worked on, Aguero says, from live music to possible Major League Soccer games.

“We’re hoping to have special events that integrate everything from concerts to meetings,” he added. “The hope is that it’s active.”

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When the stadium debuts meeting planners will have another location in the wealth of entertainment and meeting spaces available in Las Vegas to host their attendees, either for a meeting or pre- or post-meeting activity.

“Las Vegas has evolved around the concept of hosting people,” Aguero said. “There’s no doubt about it. This is what this community does.

“It’s a big reason why the community put $750 million behind this project,” he added.

When various group went through the planning and design process of Las Vegas Stadium, there were as many as 40 events that were programmed for the facility, Aguero adds.

Caesars Entertainment Inks a Deal

Also of note for meeting planners, in November 2018, Caesars Entertainment inked a 15-year deal to become the first founding partner of the Las Vegas Stadium.

“Sports have long been a core part of the Caesars’ experience,” said Chris Holdren, chief marketing officer for Caesars Entertainment, in a press release.

“With this deep partnership, Caesars will become an essential part of the game time ritual for Raiders fans everywhere,” he added. “From activations to exclusive experiences, fans of the silver and black will see Caesars as their home on game day.”

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Perks include a Caesars-branded owner’s suite at the 50-yard line, VIP dinners on the field, training facility events, stadium tours and more.

Caesars will also host a branded stadium entrance and drop-off zone; digital signage; media, radio and print assets; and alumni, player and cheerleader appearances.

A New Kind of Venue for Las Vegas

Meetings Today was on-site at the new Raiders stadium June 6, 2019, and the skeleton of the facility was visible, a puzzle of carefully placed steel beams and concrete.

Las Vegas Stadium Under Construction, Credit: Christoph Trappe

When complete, Aguero is sure it will be a venue unlike any other in Las Vegas.

“We’re excited for what it means for this community,” he said.

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