Las Vegas Mayor Pitches Downtown Arena Sites for Incoming NBA Franchise

Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley has entered the push to secure an NBA arena site, proposing two downtown locations for the city’s incoming expansion franchise. The NBA’s Board of Governors approved exploring expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle, with a decision expected by the end of 2026.

Berkley unveiled her proposals at a press conference on April 2 at City Hall. She is scheduled for a Zoom call with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver next week.

With the Strip sitting entirely in Clark County, any arena built there would deliver zero tax revenue to Las Vegas, and that’s exactly the gap Mayor Berkley is trying to close.

Two Downtown Locations Proposed

Berkley identified two potential locations for an NBA arena. The first is a parking lot across from City Hall, owned by the Plaza. The second is the north parking lot of the World Market Center, a 20-acre plot owned by Blackstone Inc., which also holds real estate assets of the Cosmopolitan.

“I know they’re considering a number of locations,” Berkley told reporters. “They’re all in the county, and look, I don’t have a problem with that…We have an alternative.”

Both sites sit roughly five miles north of the Strip. Berkley highlighted their freeway access and distance from Strip congestion as advantages. “It’s near a freeway. It won’t be as congested on the Strip, and I think it’s an alternative that they may want to examine,” she said.

Six Sites Now in Contention for the NBA Arena

Berkley’s proposals bring the total number of potential arena sites to six. The remaining four include T-Mobile Arena, where MGM Resorts International is pushing for upgrades to host basketball alongside the Vegas Golden Knights. Oak View Group has shifted focus to the parking lot behind the off-Strip Rio. LVXP has proposed an 18,000-seat arena near Sahara and Las Vegas Boulevard. Nevada Gaming Control Board member George Assad also encouraged Resorts World to build on its vacant land last month.

Berkley plans to invite Silver to her office during his next visit to Las Vegas. A final arena site will only be confirmed after the NBA selects its expansion franchises. If approved, expansion teams could begin play in the 2028-29 season at the earliest.

Vegas Residents and Leaders React

Residents near the proposed downtown site offered mixed but generally positive views. “Overall, I think it’s a plus,” said Shawn Murray, who lives in Symphony Park. He added, “I think having more traffic down here would drive even more restaurants and businesses. Make this area more lively.”

Fellow resident Gary Branch raised traffic concerns but acknowledged the site’s potential. “They have had a couple of proposed areas where they are talking about possibly an arena,” Branch said. “And I think it is better suited.”

Golden Knights owner Bill Foley welcomed the broader NBA news. “It’s really exciting to have the NBA designate Las Vegas as a future home for an NBA expansion franchise,” Foley said. “Las Vegas deserves it, local residents deserve it.”