Diamond Arena, a newly proposed sports arena, seeks to host Las Vegas' NBA team

A newly-proposed sports facility called Diamond Arena has been pitched for the South Strip, with the venue seeking to potentially host the upcoming NBA franchise, which has been confirmed by the league, following a vote by the governors.

The venue would be located on the northeast corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Four Seasons Drive, and will be located across from the Mandalay Bay, one of the city’s most iconic casino resorts. Among the key features of the project are a 21,212-seat arena, which will welcome people directly from the Las Vegas Strip. Diamond Arena sportsperson Tom Letizia has praised the project and its potential impact, calling it a global stage for the NBA. The league is looking for a long-term home in Las Vegas, and this site delivers everything needed to define the future, Letizia further noted. With the blessing of the NBA Board of Governors, Las Vegas is set to become the latest city to expand the association and feature its own dedicated team. This proposal is hardly the only recent pitch by a company, looking to gain a foothold in Las Vegas by expanding its local presence through the unique opportunity that hosting an NBA team presents. While some observers have been critical of the need for a brand-new facility, some, such as Starr Vegas Development, have already put forward $10bn plans to develop brand new entertainment facilities that will also focus on a multi-purpose sports arena. In the meantime, MGM Resorts suggested that the T-Mobile Arena is already a worthwhile and adequately equipped venue that can host the new team, with others also pitching in, including Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley, who said she was eyeing a separate proposal at the World Market Center.