The Raiders Arrive: Allegiant Stadium Opens (2020)

2020

Relocation vote: NFL owners approved the move 31-1 on March 27, 2017; only the Miami Dolphins voted no
Enabling law: Senate Bill 1, 30th Special Session of the Nevada Legislature (2016)
Public contribution: Capped at $750 million, from a Clark County hotel room tax
Room tax rates: 0.88% on the Strip and adjacent areas; 0.5% elsewhere within 25 miles of the County Government Center
Owner: Las Vegas Stadium Authority owns the building and the land
Development budget: $1.97 billion including land and infrastructure (Stadium Authority)
Capacity: About 65,000
First game: Monday, September 21, 2020: Raiders 34, New Orleans Saints 24, with no fans because of COVID-19
Address: 3333 Al Davis Way, Las Vegas, NV 89118
Other tenants and events: UNLV football (first game October 31, 2020), Super Bowl in 2024, Las Vegas Bowl

About

The Raiders' move to Las Vegas began in the Nevada Legislature. In a 2016 special session, lawmakers passed Senate Bill 1, which created a stadium district and a public Las Vegas Stadium Authority, raised Clark County's hotel room tax, and capped the public contribution to a roughly 65,000-seat NFL stadium at $750 million. The room tax is 0.88 percent on the Strip and nearby areas and 0.5 percent elsewhere within 25 miles of the County Government Center.

With that funding in place, NFL owners approved the relocation on March 27, 2017, by a 31-1 vote, with only Miami opposed. Owner Mark Davis said the chance to build in 'the entertainment capital of the world' was a step toward the greatness his father Al Davis had promised. The team kept playing in Oakland while the domed stadium was built. The Stadium Authority owns the building and land; its development budget was $1.97 billion including land and infrastructure, with $1.2 billion from the team's stadium company.

The opening was not what anyone planned. The Raiders played their first game at Allegiant Stadium on Monday Night Football on September 21, 2020, against the New Orleans Saints, with all seats empty because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Thunderbirds flew over during the anthem, and the Raiders came back from an early deficit to win 34-24. Davis watched from the team's Henderson headquarters because fans could not attend.

Allegiant Stadium quickly became more than a football venue. UNLV played its first game there on October 31, 2020, and the building has since hosted the Super Bowl in 2024, the NFL Pro Bowl Games, the Las Vegas Bowl and major concerts, adding a large stadium to a city that until then had relied on arenas.

What to expect

Allegiant Stadium runs guided tours on non-event days. The stadium's own tour page says tours last about 75 minutes, cover more than a mile of walking, and may stop at the Al Davis Memorial Torch, the broadcast booth, private suites and clubs, the locker rooms, the post-game press conference room and the field, depending on the event schedule. Guided tour tickets start at $65.99 and are sold online in advance; children under 2 are free.

The stadium is at 3333 Al Davis Way, Las Vegas, NV 89118. On non-game days the tour page lists free parking in Lot C at the north end.

Before and after

1 October: The Route 91 Harvest Festival Shooting (2017)

Good to know

Tour stops change without notice because of stadium events, so check the schedule before you go.
Heels and metal-soled shoes are not allowed on tours, and strollers are not permitted.
UNLV plays on artificial turf; the NFL uses natural grass.
The Las Vegas Stadium Authority, not the Raiders, owns the stadium and the land under it.
The public share of the cost was capped by law at $750 million, paid from hotel room tax rather than general taxes on residents.

Questions about The Raiders Arrive: Allegiant Stadium Opens (2020)

When did the Raiders move to Las Vegas?

NFL owners approved the move from Oakland on March 27, 2017, by a 31-1 vote. The team stayed in Oakland while its new stadium was built and played its first game at Allegiant Stadium on September 21, 2020, beating the New Orleans Saints 34-24 on Monday Night Football.

Why were there no fans at the first game?

The opening game on September 21, 2020, took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, when large crowds were not allowed. All the stadium's seats were empty and television added crowd noise. Raiders owner Mark Davis chose to watch from the team's Henderson headquarters because fans could not be there.

How much public money went into Allegiant Stadium?

Nevada's Senate Bill 1, passed in a 2016 special session, capped the public contribution at $750 million. It is paid from a Clark County hotel room tax of 0.88 percent on the Strip and adjacent areas and 0.5 percent elsewhere within 25 miles of the County Government Center, not from a general tax on residents.

Who owns Allegiant Stadium?

The Las Vegas Stadium Authority, a public body created by Senate Bill 1, owns both the stadium building and the land beneath it. The Stadium Authority put the development budget at $1.97 billion including land and infrastructure, with the team's stadium company contributing $1.2 billion.

How many people does Allegiant Stadium hold?

About 65,000. The 2016 law that funded it described a stadium with a seating capacity of approximately 65,000, and UNLV Athletics lists the same figure. Actual attendance varies by event, because concerts, bowl games and NFL games each use a different seating and stage layout inside the domed building.

Can you tour Allegiant Stadium?

Yes. Guided tours run about 75 minutes and involve more than a mile of walking. Depending on the day, they visit the Al Davis Memorial Torch, suites, the broadcast booth, locker rooms and the field. Tickets start at $65.99 and are sold online in advance; tours do not run during events.

What else plays at Allegiant Stadium?

UNLV's football team has played there since October 31, 2020. The stadium hosted the Super Bowl in 2024, the NFL Pro Bowl Games, the East-West Shrine Game and the Las Vegas Bowl, as well as large concerts. It is one of the few venues in Las Vegas that can host events of that size indoors, under a roof and with climate control.