Resorts World is the Best Vegas Spot for NBA arena … Says Resorts World

Resorts World should be the home of Las Vegas’ NBA future, according to the president of Resorts World, who is doubling down on his property’s 42-acre footprint as the most turnkey option available.

Over the past several years, more than a dozen arena concepts have surfaced—some serious, some wildly speculative—but only a few have the land, financing, and political momentum to be considered true contenders.

Resorts World believes it belongs at the top of that list.

The Pitch

“The North Strip is where the next chapter of Las Vegas is being written, and we believe strongly that an NBA arena belongs here,” Carlos Castro, the property’s president and chief financial officer, said in a statement provided to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Castro points to the emerging luxury corridor anchored by Resorts World, Wynn, and Fontainebleau, arguing that the area has already evolved into a high-end entertainment district with room to grow.

A North Strip arena would deliver more than 41 regular-season home dates; it would also create a venue capable of hosting major concerts, combat sports, and special events, potentially revitalizing the stretch between Spring Mountain Road and Sahara Avenue.

Specifically in Resorts World’s favor, it has a $4.3 billion integrated resort already operating, infrastructure in place, and a rare combination of Strip frontage and back access via Sammy Davis Jr. Drive. The 42 acres it controls could accommodate a modern arena without the multi-year land assembly challenges facing some other proposals.

Resorts World also argues that its existing resort infrastructure—parking, utilities and access roads—would reduce the amount of new support construction an arena project would require.

The Owners Will Choose… Once They’re Chosen

Resorts World’s pitch comes as the NBA’s expansion process continues with no public timeline for choosing a finalist from among three billionaire ownership groups shortlisted in September by the NBA: one led by Nancy Walton Laurie and Bill Laurie, another led by Bill Foley and Jerry Colangelo, and a third led by Marc Lasry and Steve Apostolopoulos.

The choice of owner will determine the choice of venue, since all three candidate groups are likely to have their own preferences.

While none has divulged theirs publicly, it has been reported that Foley—who initially expressed interest in housing a team at T-Mobile Arena, home of his Vegas Golden Knights hockey team—has shifted since partnering with Colangelo’s Las Vegas Jacks group, and sources say the combined group now plans to build a new arena. Colangelo’s group had been working with Manica Architecture on designs.

The league has said it intends to wrap up the expansion process by year’s end, with new franchises in Las Vegas and Seattle potentially debuting as early as the 2028–29 season. Some reporting has noted discussions about a possible 2029–30 start for the Las Vegas team.