When the Raiders boarded up their long-time home in Oakland and migrated to the desert, there were high expectations for a new hometown and playing venue.
As it turns out, there may not be a better place for a franchise with such deep tradition than Sin City.
Opened: 2020
City: Las Vegas, NV
Capacity: 65,000
Last Visited: Oct 2023
Location
Prior to 2020, it was hard to picture how Las Vegas would accommodate a massive NFL stadium and training facility without pushing it out somewhere in Henderson. Somehow, the already-congested entertainment hub did a remarkable job finding several million square feet of new event space not far from the city's main action.
The stadium is located on the southwestern end of the Strip, directly across from Mandalay Bay and due west of the airport. It butts up against some middle-income neighborhoods on the west and is bordered by I-15 on the east, which makes for a convenient exit after the game. The area surrounding stadium feels like one massive slab of concrete, with only a handful of sidewalks that always seem to lead you into construction or, more likely, casinos.
But then again, that's Vegas. And, for many fans, the trip will always be about more than three and a half hours of Raiders football.
As such, visiting fans have their choice of a dozen-plus casinos and high-end hotels that provide access to all that Vegas has to offer: restaurants, sportsbooks, shopping centers, night clubs and lots of different entertainment options. If you're motivated to travel beyond a mile radius of the Fountains of Bellagio, you can check out the impressive Las Vegas Sphere or Fremont Street in Old Town Vegas.
For those less-interested in gambling or paying top-dollar for lodging, there is a collection of bed-and-breakfast-style hotels within a 10-minute walk of the stadium and 30-minute hike of The Park, which serves as a lower-key barrier to ongoing mayhem further up the Strip. It also includes several good craft beer pubs, like Beerhaus.
Score: 4/5
Building
From the outside, the black facade of Allegiant Stadium poses a stunning intrigue to pedestrians and a clear resemblance to Al Davis' iconic "Death Star" vision. It's the stadium's interior, however, that truly embodies Raider culture. All-black seats and stadium signage establish a dark aesthetic and, when paired with a silver, semi-transparent ceiling, perfectly portray the team's distinctive branding.
Like other new stadiums, it's got all the bells and whistles, including three massive jumbotrons and a gigantic glass window on the northern end, which provides an immaculate view of Las Vegas to fans sitting in the upper deck while casting natural light into what would otherwise be a stuffy, indoor setting. There are a number of large speakers hanging from the ceiling, which make for a loud, electrifying environment leading up to kickoff.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the structure is the event staff's ability to roll in natural grass from the lot on the southern end of the stadium. Football played indoors will always be inferior to outside and in the elements, but you have to applaud the commitment to a more natural playing surface, which surely helps reduce the number of knee injuries to players.
There are very few shortcomings of Allegiant Stadium in terms overall design of the venue. Its tight walkways, unfortunately, have a tendency to get clogged during periods of heavy foot traffic, but this is not uncommon across most NFL stadiums.
Score: 5/5
Accommodations
Like most modern stadiums in big metro areas, the Allegiant's concessions are aggressively overpriced. The alcohol selection, however, does not stoop down to the light beer preferences of many traditional football fans: you'll find great craft beer from Hop Valley, Firestone Walker and Lagunitas, along with a healthy mix of cocktail options.
To supplement the ever-presence of alcohol throughout the building, an additional element of Las Vegas is incorporated into the gameday experience: ongoing entertainment.
On the northern end of the stadium's upper deck is a stage that hosts short performances by musicians and cameos by celebs during breaks from the game and halftime. Similar to the type of platform that supports the Gjallarhorn in U.S. Bank Stadium, the Raiders also use this area for quick shout-outs by former players and event personnel that hype up the Raiders fans in attendance.
Perhaps one of the most disappointing aspects of the Allegiant experience (as of October 2023) is the conscious decision NOT to show replay for any remotely-positive play made by the Raiders' opponent. Putting aside team biases, this bizarre move by the event staff hinders the viewing experience of a large number of impartial football fans and gamblers that are there to follow the action from both sides.
Score: 3/5
Atmosphere
There may be a few less painted faces and pirate outfits with spikes than you'd find historically at The Coliseum, but Raider tradition has been carefully preserved amidst the move to Vegas. In fact, the nefarious side of Las Vegas seems to mesh well with the Raiders' "bad guy" culture.
On gameday, the largely California-based fan base still boasts a remarkable presence in its new hometown. Before kickoff, there is a respectable amount of tailgating and pre-game festivity taking place in the parking lot space that surrounds the stadium. Come kickoff, Raider Nation is punctual and loud, constantly howling the famed "Raiiiiii-ders" chant. For a team that's seen some deep lows over the past two decades, it's an impressive showing of black and silver.
The infrastructure that comes with an indoor stadium has the ability to make for artificial gameday energy, but that didn't feel nearly as pronounced in Allegiant Stadium compared to places like SoFi Stadium or State Farm Stadium. There is an intentional effort to integrate a Vegas-like bedazzle in the gameday experience - via special lighting effects and smoke spray - but it's not necessarily overdone.
Score: 4/5
Stadium Score: 4.0 / 5
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