Las Vegas Sands Corp. today announced plans for a new 17,500-seat live music venue behind its Strip resorts, a move that will add yet another dimension to the resort corridor’s ever-expanding entertainment market.
The casino operator said it was partnering with the Madison Square Garden Company to build a 400,000-square foot venue on Sands Avenue between Manhattan Street and Koval Lane. Neither a sales price nor a target completion date were disclosed.
Sands indicated they would focus on offering a variety of live shows — including large concert tours, residencies and other productions — in the new space. Sands also promised a “unique seating design” that would put all seats in front of the stage and include options for luxury seating and “exclusive clubs and lounges.”
Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson said in a statement that a “world-class performance venue” connecting directly to his Venetian and Palazzo resorts would “undoubtedly be positive” for his company’s Las Vegas business. He also characterized it as the right type of investment for the “long-term interests of Las Vegas as a leading international tourist destination.”
“At a time when significant conversations are taking place about the city’s future tourism needs, a state-of-the-art venue designed, built and exclusively dedicated to bringing the world’s greatest musical and entertainment acts to Las Vegas is the type of development we should all be excited about,” Adelson said.
Azoff MSG Entertainment, Live Nation Entertainment Inc. and Oak View Group also will be involved in the Sands venue, according to a statement from Sands. In addition to being a new space for live entertainment, the venue could be used for UFC mixed martial arts events as well, Azoff MSG Entertainment CEO Irving Azoff said in the statement.
Announcement of the venue comes more than a month after Sands rival MGM Resorts International debuted the 20,000-seat T-Mobile Arena between its New York-New York and Monte Carlo properties. T-Mobile may one day host a professional hockey team but its operators have also positioned it as a space for big concerts. The venue already has been the site of performances from such artists as The Killers, Nicki Minaj, Billy Joel and Guns N’ Roses.
Sands and Majestic Realty Co. also are pushing plans for a $1.4 billion, 65,000-seat domed stadium that could potentially house an NFL franchise. Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis, who has been in discussions to relocate his team to the stadium should it be built, said Tuesday he was "very optimistic" about the prospects of the move. Additional uses of that venue would likely include UNLV football games and large entertainment events.