The Las Vegas Raiders’ $1.8 billion Las Vegas home celebrated its topping off last week with the announcement that it will be called Allegiant Stadium. The Vegas-based airline emerged victorious from months of negotiations between the NFL team and other companies vying to place their brands on the 65,000-seat domed stadium that’s set to open by next year’s NFL season.
“It speaks volumes about the Raiders and their commitment to Southern Nevada to be able to pick a local Las Vegas-based company,” Allegiant Air Chief Marketing Officer Scott DeAngelo said. “There is clear demand for Las Vegas as an NFL destination.”
At a ceremony held at the carrier’s Summerlin headquarters, Raiders owner Mark Davis told Allegiant CEO Maurice Gallagher, “The Raider family is very tight, and we’re just excited for you to join ours. I think we’re in the middle of a great relationship. I look forward to learning a lot more about the Allegiant brand. We’ve got 30 years ahead of us, so let’s make the best of it.”
Raiders President Marc Badain saluted the airline, saying, “What you’ve built here is very, very impressive, and we’re really excited to see how you all grow and grow with us. Obviously, the stadium project will raise your brand and raise awareness (of the brand).”
DeAngelo said he expects more Allegiant flights to and from Las Vegas on weekends the Raiders have home games.
Founded in 1997 as WestJet Express, Allegiant currently flies direct from Las Vegas to eight markets with NFL teams.
“We did a lot of research and Allegiant fans are NFL fans,” DeAngelo said. “We’re here to make Allegiant Stadium and Raiders games more accessible to the customers and fans we all serve.”
The stadium, located at the southern end of Las Vegas Boulevard, just west of the Strip near Interstate 15, is reported to be 55 to 65 percent finished and on target to open on time for the 2020 football season.
The venue, which will also host the home games of the football team of the University of Las Vegas, Nevada and other large-scale events, was funded in part by the Raiders and in part by taxpayer-backed bonds.
