LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Allegiant Stadium opening to a fanless season isn't just a loss for the Las Vegas Raiders - it's a big loss for Las Vegas.
"The entire idea of the public's investment in Allegiant Stadium was largely to drive additional activity from an economic standpoint," said Jeremy Aguero, of Applied Analysis.
Raiders' newly-finished Allegiant Stadium closed to fans for 2020
On average, NFL stadiums bring in more than $400 million a year and stadium revenue is a big part of the NFL's overall revenue.
Less than two months ago, Allegiant Stadium began hiring for 4,500 new part-time game day positions - mostly in hospitality, food services, security, ticketing, customer service, and custodial jobs.
13 Action News reached out to the Raiders about how many part-time employees will still be needed and did not immediately hear back, but the Allegiant Stadium job portal showed it was not currently hiring as of Wednesday.
Allegiant Stadium partner companies like LEVY, which supplies food for concessions, and PatG Parking and Transportation Group are not hiring. But Safe Management and ASM Global are.
Aguero said the impact of not having fans goes well beyond stadium jobs.
"While visitors may spend $100 on a ticket, food, merchandise, all of those things we want them to do there, the amount that they spend outside of that stadium is substantially greater and has a bigger impact on jobs and wages and salaries and economic output," he said.
Allegiant Stadium construction mostly complete; future of events, jobs in limbo
Aguero said there is a silver lining for the Silver and Black. On average, about 16 million people watch NFL games on television.
"And when that's broadcast all over the world, that may be the greatest signal that we can have that Las Vegas is open," he said.
