By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
So much for freedom of the press in Nevada.
Media was prohibited from videotaping or photographing Gov. Steve Sisolak while he gave a 21-minute state-of-the-state speech at the NFL Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium at noon Wednesday.
The Raiders stadium representatives, the NFL team and Sisolak’s people did not explain why the media was not allowed to take photos or video of the stadium bowl, which Sisolak used as a backdrop prop for the speech.
It appeared the stadium banned media from taking photos and video of the speech backdrop because Metallica band’s stage was on the venue event floor, though the stage could not be seen from the stadium platform area by photographers taking straight-on pictures of Sisolak. Metallica performs at Allegiant Stadium in two days on Friday.
Media was allowed to take photos of Sisolak coming and leaving, such as this photo taken by LVSportsBiz.com.
As photographers prepared to take pictures of Sisolak entering the area to give his speech, a Sisolak staffer warned the photographers again to not take photos of the stadium bowl or someone would come out and tackle them to the ground.
Only the Raiders were allowed to take pictures and video of the speech from the same area where media photographers/videographers were denied documenting the speech. Here is one of those photos, with the photo credit going to Omer Khan of Las Vegas Raiders.
Southern Nevada contributed a record NFL stadium subsidy of $750 million in public dollars to help build the 62,000-seat, domed stadium that has generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for the NFL team in personal seat licenses, ticket sales and corporate partnership deals.
A big Raiders fan, Sisiolak has been a big political cheerleader for the subsidized football stadium. Case in point:
As for the speech itself, it was a typical state-of-the-state, boiler plate speech you would expect from an incumbent governor seeking re-election in November.
Sisiolak outlined plans such as helping pay for free lunches for students, lowering costs for child care and aiding with housing expenses.
He lauded the stadium as a generator of jobs and tourism revenue — something he did as chairman of the Clark County Commission when he ran for governor.