LVSportsBiz Confidential: Marriage Made In NBA Arena Heaven In Las Vegas; Mayor Goodman Says Keep Those ‘Gross Desert’ Photos Coming

By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com

Boston Red Sox owner John Henry and his sports group want to acquire an NBA team.

Arena developer Tim Leiweke and his group want to build a 20,000-seat NBA arena as part of a $3 billion entertainment district at Las Vegas Boulevard and Blue Diamond Road south of the Strip. Here’s a look at the site:

Henry’s Fenway Sports Group also owns the NHL Pittsburgh Penguins, Liverpool FC and even 50 percent of a NASCAR team. And for 21 years, Henry and his pals have invested in sports properties.

Meanwhile, Leiweke’s Oak View Group, which has hired former Raiders president Marc Badain to help develop the proposed $3 billion entertainment complex, wants investors for their ambitious hotel/casino/amphitheater/arena project. Plus. the site for the proposed arena is next to the location of a potential Major League Soccer stadium being floated by Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Wes Edens, who is talking with MLS about a possible soccer team for Las Vegas.

 

Mr. Henry, meet Mr. Leiweke.

LVSportsBiz.com does not get involved in sports deal matchmaking much. But LVSportsBiz suggests Henry and Leiweke have a little chat.

The word behind the scenes is that Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley is not too keen on having an NBA team taking a bite out of a market that already includes his VGK. Plus, if you notice, MGM Resorts International used to make a lot more public noise about wanting an NBA team for its T-Mobile Arena when Jim Murren was CEO. But with Bill Hornbuckle at the helm as CEO, MGM Resorts’ public talk about the NBA having a team in T-Mobile Arena has quieted down. Just so you know, LVSportsBiz contacted a MGM Resorts sports PR representative about the NBA in Las Vegas and the arena proposal down the road from T-Mobile Arena but the spokesman said MGM Resorts will pass on making a comment.

Oak View Group and Fenway Sports Group a married corporate arena/NBA couple? I’ve heard a lot stranger couples than that one.

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Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said her invitation to Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf to attend a Raiders home game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas “will stand forever.”

Goodman said she was impressed by all the local Las Vegas folks who posted beautiful desert photos of flowering plants after Schaaf said in jest that Las Vegas is a “gross desert” during a media interview on the Oakland Athletics baseball stadium topic.

Goodman told LVSportsBiz.com Monday that she advised her social media people to invite locals to send in their best photos of the “gross desert” of Las Vegas.

“She knows she put her foot in her mouth,” Goodman said of the Oakland mayor.

Here’s the LVSportsBiz.com’s “gross desert” photo:

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PSA