UPDATE: Las Vegas Sands casino executives say they're serious about trying to build a $1.3 billion stadium at UNLV and attract an NFL team there.
Proponents of the stadium laid out their case for building a 65,000-seat venue at a Thursday meeting of the Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee. Economic analysts said the project could generate $46 million in new tax revenue each year even if no NFL team came to Las Vegas.
Company executives said they want public financing to supplement their private investment, but they declined to give a specific proposal on how much. A preliminary report proposed $780 million come from public sources.
Critics are concerned that the project would divert hotel room tax dollars away from an ongoing effort to expand the Las Vegas Convention Center.
ORIGINAL STORY:
There could be a major announcement Thursday on plans for a new stadium in Las Vegas.
The site would be right next to the Thomas and Mack Center. The stadium proposal is a joint venture between UNLV and the Las Vegas Sands.
Details are expected to be released at a tourism meeting.
13 Action News reached out to UNLV and Sands, but didn't get any comment.
A new survey said two-thirds of Nevada voters support expanding the Las Vegas Convention Center but they oppose using taxpayer dollars to build an NFL-sized sports stadium.
Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis says he's open to the idea of moving to Las Vegas after passing on relocation to Los Angeles in January. That's if David can't get a new stadium in Oakland.
Traditionally the NFL has been opposed to putting a team where legalized gambling takes place.
"Those are ultimately decisions about where they go and the impact that the potential gambling that we'd have to deal with," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "We'd have to understand it, we'd have to understand what the impact is on us and ultimately each owner would have a vote on that."
