Proposed Las Vegas arena pitches itself as NBA expansion site

A proposed arena on the Las Vegas Strip is positioning itself as a candidate to host a future NBA expansion team in the city, its developers said today in a news release.

The Las Vegas Diamond Arena, planned for the northeast corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Four Seasons Drive across from Mandalay Bay, would seat 21,212 and be built specifically for NBA basketball.

The NBA last month voted to consider expanding past its current 30-team footprint, exclusively focusing on bringing a team to Las Vegas and back to Seattle.

The earliest the team could begin competing would be the 2028-29 season, according to reports. The expansion fee is $6 billion.

“This isn’t just another arena project — it’s a global stage for the NBA,” said Tom Letizia, a spokesman for the Diamond Arena project. “The league is looking for a long-term home in Las Vegas, and this site delivers everything needed to define the future.”

Developers say the project’s Strip-front location puts it within walking distance of more than 20,000 hotel rooms and provides direct access to Interstate 15 and the 215 Beltway.

Plans call for 18,460 existing parking spaces and 760 additional VIP spaces, a 100,000-square-foot ground-level plaza and 140,000 square feet of team and broadcast facilities, officials said.

The project is situated within an Opportunity Zone, which developers say offers economic incentives. They project the development would generate economic activity and create thousands of jobs during construction and operation.

“The question isn’t whether Las Vegas is ready for the NBA — the NHL and NFL have already proven that,” Letizia said. “The question is which arena provides the league with the best long-term platform.”

The group didn’t indicate the cost of its proposal.

It has plenty of competition, including Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley suggesting an arena for downtown Las Vegas near the World Market Center, the proposed LVXP Arena on the north Strip, and T-Mobile Arena.