Las Vegas was the home of 2024’s Super Bowl 58. As the current host of the one of the biggest sports events in the world, we must note that the landscape of the city is changing. Las Vegas has historically been known as a popular tourist attraction, famous for gambling and entertainment. Las Vegas has begun investing heavily in sports. Las Vegas has proudly gained professional sports teams in the National Football League, the National Hockey League, Women’s National Basketball Association, and the United Soccer League. All of these teams have been added in just the last decade.
Las Vegas’ sports related investments don’t stop there. The Allegiant Stadium where Super Bowl 58 was held, opened in 2020. Allegiant costed a whopping two billion dollars and the stadium seats 65,000. Additionally, Las Vegas spent $2.3 billion on the Sphere, an elite entertainment venue. It seems Las Vegas is seeing a return on these investments. The Allegiant stadium has brought an additional 1.53 million people to the city. In 2023, over forty million tourists visited Las Vegas, an impressive 5.2% increase from 2022. Now, CNBC reports that Las Vegas is also becoming popular for job seekers and home buyers who are interested in the city’s unique offerings. While the city seems to be booming, experts note climate change and water scarcity as issues the desert city still must grapple with.
Discussion Questions:
- Explain the pros and cons of Las Vegas investing in sports?
- Experts say that Las Vegas must still grapple with climate change and water scarcity. What are some ways the city can address these challenges?
Sources| CNBC: www.cnbc.com/2024/02/08/las-vegas-went-from-a-sports-pariah-to-hosting-super-bowl-58.html; Unsplash: Photo by Grant Cai on Unsplash