NBA owners expected to discuss expansion in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS NBA expansion is among the items expected to be discussed Tuesday when the leagues board of governors meets in Las Vegas during the Summer League.

After years of talks about the potential to expand from the NBAs current 30 franchises, with Las Vegas and Seattle among the favorites to receive one, Tuesdays meeting marked the first time league owners officially discuss the topic.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who will address the media Tuesday night following the meeting, has said expansion isnt a given despite the chatter.

I dont think its automatic, because it depends on your perspective on the future of the league, Silver said during a June 5 news conference.

As Ive said before, expansion in a way is selling equity in the league, and if you believe in the league, you dont necessarily want to add partners.

If the league approves the expansion process, multiple groups are ready to bid to bring a team to Las Vegas, according to Steve Hill, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority president and CEO.

Weve got at least three groups here that are very qualified and capable of bringing an NBA franchise to the city, Hill said without naming those groups.

Theres no better place to bring the next franchise in the NBA but here.

Its been a basketball city forever, huge NBA following, and obviously weve got a great relationship (with the NBA) already.

Folks have spoken publicly about wanting to bring this franchise (here).

I think well be well-represented in those conversations.

Some of the people Hill alluded to include NBA star LeBron James, Hall of Famer and part-time Las Vegas resident Shaquille ONeal and former boxing great Floyd Mayweather.

Multiple groups are interested in building NBA-ready arenas in Las Vegas, including Denver-based venue development, management and hospitality firm Oak View Group and Las Vegas-based real estate firm LVXP.

Oak View has a long history of developing and operating arenas and stadiums worldwide, including Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, home of the NHLs Kraken, where a potential NBA team would call home.

Oak Views plans to build a $1 billion arena, surrounded by a multibillion-dollar resort project on Las Vegas Boulevard, just south of the Strip, were pulled last year.

The group hasnt publicly commented on where it plans to shift its attention, but early indications were that land next to the Rio was a possibility.

Oak Views longtime CEO, Tim Leiweke, recently stepped down from his executive role and moved into one with the companys board of directors after being indicted for bid-rigging in relation to an arena project the firm built for the University of Texas in Austin.

It remains unclear to how that shift could impact Oak Views Las Vegas NBA arena plans.

LVXP is looking to build an NBA-ready arena on the site of the former Wet N Wild, where Jackie Robinsons All Net Arena project failed to come to fruition.

Plans call for a 20,000-seat arena with a 2,600-room hotel/condominium project and a 6,000-seat theater surrounding the facility.

LVXP hired AECOM last year to design the arena, but not many developments, other than renderings, have occurred since..

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