The NBA is expected to conduct a preliminary vote during the board meeting on March 24-25, officially listing Las Vegas and Seattle as expansion candidate cities. Each new team is estimated to be valued between $7 billion to $10 billion, potentially ranking among the top eight in league revenue immediately. If the final vote passes, the new teams will debut in the 2028-29 season. In plain terms, the NBA is finally set to officially include the gambling city in its map, now it's just a matter of who can afford this huge sum and where the arena will be built.
Bidding War: Led by Magic Johnson, will the Sands family change flags?
The list of potential buyers is star-studded. NBA legend "Magic" Johnson has confirmed his participation in the bidding through the MAGI group formed with Las Vegas investors, calling the city his "second favorite home." Although the Adelson family of the Sands Group owns the Dallas Mavericks, their repeated setbacks in pushing for the legalization of casinos in Texas have led to speculation that they might switch to Las Vegas, but a family spokesperson has explicitly denied rumors of selling the Mavericks. The league's expansion requires approval from 23 out of the existing 30 teams, and theoretically, there is a possibility that owners might veto to prevent dilution of their shares, but the explosive market growth generally keeps expectations optimistic.
Arena Controversy: T-Mobile renovation or a new landmark in the north?
The existing T-Mobile Arena, although promised a $300 million renovation by the owner of the Golden Knights, involves MGM in its equity and needs adjustment in specifications. Several new projects have briefly emerged and then failed, including the now-abandoned All Net Arena and the Oak View Group's resort project. The latest dark horse is the Resorts World Casino, whose president and CFO explicitly stated at a regulatory hearing that their 46-acre vacant land is an "excellent location for a future sports arena," with regulatory commissioners also indirectly addressing the NBA commissioner "we are listening." If this site is developed, it would greatly promote the development of the north end of Las Vegas Boulevard.
Sports Transformation: From a gambling city to a sports city
Over the past decade, Las Vegas has acquired NHL, WNBA, NFL teams, and the MLB Athletics will also settle in by 2028, along with top events like the F1 Grand Prix, making sports the biggest non-gambling attraction. Although the total number of visitors dropped by 7.5% to 38.5 million in 2025, spending on sports events is still rising. The NBA Summer League and mid-season tournaments have already taken root in the city, and the expansion will truly complete the city's sports landscape, injecting new energy into the sluggish tourism industry. Want to keep up with the latest on Las Vegas gambling and sports? PASA official website continues to follow.
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