Features
The Other Vegas Arena
A former NBA basketball player has his sights on a $1.4 billion arena, hotel and shopping project in Las Vegas that he hopes begins construction in December.
rendering by Cuningham Group Architecture
Jackie Robinson’s privately funded arena, which will cost $690 million, has already tapped Comcast-Spectacor to program and manage the retractable-roof building that will seat 22,000, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
He’s secured foreign investment and funders including the Carlton Group are backing the project.
The development slated for a site on the Strip between SLS Las Vegas and Turnberry Towers will come amid a flurry of other construction in the area. MGM Resorts International and AEG are currently building a $375 million, 20,000-seat arena on the Strip and UNLV had sought to build a campus football stadium but has delayed the project.
Robinson’s arena is projected to open in early 2017. It appears MGM and AEG’s new building could face competition in luring the National Finals Rodeo from the Thomas & Mack Center, as Robinson told the Review-Journal his arena also plans to make a bid to host the event.